What are these iconic Singapore models doing now?

What are these iconic Singapore models doing now?

The '80s and '90s was the Golden Age for the local modelling scene. Singaporean models were superstars in the international circuit, fronting major global advertising campaigns and walking the runways at fashion capitals Paris and Milan. Back home, they were household names, gracing the covers of many a magazine here.

While the sheen dulled for the next two decades, some local models are slowly finding the spotlight overseas again. Layla Ong, for example, walked the runway at Milan Fashion Week for Gucci's Fall/Winter 2018 show, while Jean Yong walked for Antonio Marras. Still, no model is as famous as the likes of Hanis Hussey, Ethel Fong and Junita Simon, to name a few. We look back with nostalgia at the top models of that bygone era and celebrate those that made it in recent years.

1980s

1. Ethel Fong

The first ever Singaporean to sign a contract with Ford Models in New York (known for representing elite supermodels such as Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington), Ethel Fong modelled for Chanel and Christian Dior and appeared on the covers of many international titles, including Italian Vogue and W Magazine. Charmed by her exotic beauty during a casting in 1986, Giorgio Armani himself had selected her as his muse, and Fong became one of the few Asians to star in an Armani campaign during the '80s, which ran in major fashion magazines globally.

As of 2016, both Fong and her husband, Jean Chalopin, were active in charity work. They started StoryPlus, an online platform where parents were able to purchase stories submitted by different writers. This money was used to educate children from Third World countries with literacy skills.

2. Nora Ariffin

Nora Ariffin's career took flight when she garnered fame and recognition after being named as Glamour Awards' Model of the Year, as well as Studio M Awards' Best Model of the Year and Best Photogenic Model in 1985. She left Singapore to take her modelling career to new heights, where she landed in the pages of Vogue Paris circa 1986 in a campaign shot by renowned fashion photographer, the late Guy Bourdin.

Her journey did not end there - she appeared in the Italian counterparts of Harper's Bazaar and Cosmopolitan and starred in the advertisement campaigns of CoverGirl cosmetics in 1995 alongside big names such as Tyra Banks and Niki Taylor. She became a real estate broker in 2004 and is now working at high-end real estate company Halstead Property.

3. Hanis Hussey

Known as the first ever Singaporean model who appeared on the catwalk of Paris Fashion Week, she closed the Fall/Winter show of Yves Saint Laurent in 1983. Handpicked to be the muse of Yves Saint Laurent, she became the in-house model for his eponymous label.

She went on to enjoy a glittering career, walking in the shows of coveted labels such as Balmain, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Lanvin. As recent as 2016, she served as the catwalk coach for the contestants of Miss Universe Singapore.

1990s - 2000s

4. Junita Simon

Catapulting to fame after she was crowned the winner of the Singapore leg of the Ford Supermodel of the World contest in 1995, Junita Simon's career skyrocketed - gracing the covers of both local and international publications as well as walking in shows for famous fashion houses such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton. Represented by renowned agencies like Ford Models Paris and British's IMG Models, she was the face of many fashion brands, including Gucci and Givenchy.

Simon has since switched to hosting, and was the emcee for major events such as Icons of Ferrari, Samsung Galaxy S6 World Tour in Singapore and the Grand Opening of the first Singapore Zenith flagship store.

5. Huda Ali

Coming in as second runner up in the ASEAN Model Search in 1993, Huda Ali kickstarted her modelling career when she was just 15, frequently appearing on the covers of the now-defunct magazine, Go.

Although she retired from modelling in 2002 to take on a press relations position at a fashion designer's company, she recently made a resurgence, appearing in the Elle Singapore x ION Orchard calendar in 2015.

6. Sheila Sim

Modelling runs in the family for Sheila Sim. Sim was discovered at age 16 by a talent scout while she was at her aunt Ivy Chng's wedding. Chng was a runway model during the 1980s.

At the peak of her career, Sim walked the catwalk for Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Valentino, fronted campaigns for Poh Heng Jewellery and Ashley Isham and was named Singapore's first brand ambassador for Japanese beauty brand, SK-II in 2012. These days, Sim is involved in acting, appearing in several local television dramas such as 118 Reunion and Reach for the Skies.

2010-present

7. Nadia Rahmat

Rahmat's modelling career took to the skies in 2015. She was selected out of 50,000 people in an Instagram #CastMeMarc contest to be the face of the now-defunct Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring 2015 campaign.

She then went on to walk for Gin Lee in 2017's Singapore Fashion Week. She still models, but is also working as an events manager for Kilo Lounge, Camp Kilo and Kilo Kitchen.

8. Diya Prabhakar

This New Paper New Face 2014 winner was discovered by Prasad Bidapa, an Indian fashion choreographer, while the then-15-year-old was on a family holiday in India. Since then, she modelled for Ashley Isham, Oscar De La Renta and Desigual at the Audi Fashion Festival 2014, and for Thomas Wee, Al & Alicia and Topshop during the Digital Fashion Week 2013. She has also appeared in several magazines, such as for local title Her World and international ones like Vogue Arabia.

Recently, she grazed the runways of New York Fashion Week. Brands like Prabal Gurung and Christian Siriano have cast her for their Spring/Summer 2019 show.

This article was first published on Her World Online

homepage

trending

trending
    'Overwhelming response': Less than 2,000 books left after Yale-NUS adoption drive, June 14 fair open to public
    Pop Mart's new Labubu collection, inspired by convenience store food, to launch on June 13
    'Everyone looked at us with pitiful eyes': BTS' Jimin and Jungkook share funny military experiences
    Orlando Bloom undergoes $17k treatment to remove toxic chemicals from his blood
    'You got yourself a customer for life': Woman receives surprise gifts from SIA crew to celebrate her pregnancy
    Pamper yourself on your next shopping trip with these exclusive deals
    Police take down over 1,000 malicious IP addresses in Singapore in joint operation with Interpol
    Jetstar Asia ceasing operations: Passengers scramble to seek refunds, travel plans up in limbo
    Durians for $1.95 at FairPrice annual fair this June
    Honda Freed review: Understated small MPV with plenty of plus points
    More seniors to benefit as 3 local banks recognise CPF Life payouts as income proof for credit card applications
    50% savings, bigger house: Shaun Chen shares more on why he moved family to JB

Singapore

Singapore
    • Singapore and Johor Regent Tunku Ismail to swop land plots near Botanic Gardens
    • Maids working in households with kids must have immunity against measles: MOM
    • Singaporean owner of defunct company barred from raising funds for charity after regulation breaches
    • This 'officer' never sleeps: Geylang Serai market carpark to have digital sentry to keep watch on errant motorists
    • 'Why do such dangerous things': Video from MRT track circulates online, SMRT lodges police report
    • $55k dream renovation turns into nightmare; contractor borrows money from homeowner
    • Students must be more critical, discerning: Experts weigh in on online peer-tutoring channels
    • $52k bid for clinic space: Young business owners react, raising concerns over rising rent
    • Teen, 16, convicted of rioting with deadly weapon after attacking victim at MRT station
    • Man who sued late mum's estate gets 38% share of rent for Yishun coffee shop over two decades

Entertainment

Entertainment
    • Put their logo and priced it 10 times higher: Netizens upset exact copy of Enhypen's merch available cheaply on Taobao
    • 'I'm going to die at this rate': BTS' RM recalls struggling with insomnia and self-doubt during military service
    • RM and V discharged from military service, Hybe headquarters decorated for BTS' return
    • Korean conglomerate heiress to debut in new K-pop co-ed group Allday Project
    • Harvey Weinstein convicted of sex crime amid contentious jury deliberations
    • Disney, Universal sue image creator Midjourney for copyright infringement
    • Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson dies at age 82
    • R. Kelly files motion to be released from prison, alleging his life is in danger
    • Taylor Swift obtains restraining order against man claiming he had child with her
    • BTS members Jimin and Jungkook discharged from South Korea military

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
    • A taste of home: Burmese friends open cafe in Bras Basah selling authentic Myanmar cuisine
    • 'I'm doing all this from my heart': Senior volunteer on his love of helping the community for almost 30 years
    • Unable to bear children, she proposed annulment of marriage so he could start a family. He chose love
    • Jurassic World, inflatable playgrounds and more: Family-friendly events and activities this June holiday
    • Restaurant Labyrinth to have 2-day collaboration with Culinary Class Wars' Choi Hyun-seok
    • Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor Performance Pack review: Sporty electric SUV that's big in performance and price
    • McDonald's and Tokidoki to release limited-edition collectible charms from June 12
    • Hello, oppas: South Korea's steamy musical Wild Wild is back in Singapore this June
    • 20 Father's Day 2025 deals and promotions: Dad dines free, Porsche test drive experience and more
    • More younger Singaporeans are getting Botox and collagen shots. How effective and safe are they?

Digicult

Digicult
    • Slim, sleek, but slightly too short-lived: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review
    • World's best Dota 2 teams to compete for $1m prize pool in Singapore in November
    • Initiative by IMDA, AI Verify Foundation tests AI accuracy, trustworthiness in real-world scenarios
    • Under siege? Helldivers 2's latest city to be invaded by aliens could be spoof of Singapore
    • Honor 400 Series launches in Singapore with first free in-device AI image-to-video tool
    • Home Team humanoid robots to be deployed by mid-2027, $100m to be invested: Josephine Teo
    • Ado concert review: Singer without a face ignites fans while in cage with only silhouette visible
    • EU and US authorities take down malware network
    • Google Pixel 9a: The best AI-centric phone under $800 in 2025?
    • Western intelligence agencies warn spyware threat targeting Taiwan, Tibetan rights advocates

Money

Money
    • Best credit card promotions in Singapore (June 2025): Citibank, DBS, HSBC, UOB and more
    • Best bank offers in Singapore (June 2025): Blackpink Visa presale, Lilo & Stitch Hawaii vacation, up to 50% off flights and more
    • World Bank cuts global growth forecast as trade tensions heighten uncertainty
    • Queenstown 5-room loft breaks national HDB record at $1.65m
    • The biggest misconceptions about buying property in Singapore's CCR in 2025
    • 9 best personal loans in Singapore with lowest interest rates (June 2025)
    • Best fixed deposit rates in Singapore (June 2025): Minimum deposits from $500, rates up to 2.45%
    • SG60 Baby Gift: What to expect if you're expecting
    • The surprising reasons some Singaporean buyers are choosing smaller condo units (even when they can afford more)
    • 'Thank you for your hard work': Scoot gives 4.91 months of bonus, shares on TikTok

Latest

Latest
  • Austrian neighbours of school shooter recall withdrawn young man
  • Musk backtracks on Trump criticism after White House outreach
  • Trump says willing to extend trade talks deadline, but says that won't be necessary
  • Filipino families flee Northern Irish home after night of anti-immigrant violence
  • Palestinian boy who lost 9 siblings arrives in Italy for treatment
  • Ukraine brings home bodies of 1,212 soldiers killed in war with Russia
  • Taiwan cyber unit says it will not be intimidated by China bounty offer
  • Ex-CIA analyst sentenced to over 3 years for leak of classified information
  • North Korea appears to have stopped loudspeakers blasting noise, Seoul says

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It
  • 2 women arrested for theft at Changi Airport transit area within an hour
  • 40 Singaporeans going on 'Single's Inferno' trips to Japan to find love, minus the cameras
  • Mum of 6 who juggles 3 jobs starts free breakfast club for children in Ang Mo Kio
  • Government official impersonation scam: Syndicate received gold bars worth $500k, cash from victims
  • Queues at VEP application centres in Singapore, JB after news of enforcement from July 1
  • Wrong food delivery: Man 'feels unsafe', calls police
  • Malaysian woman apologises to 11-year-old daughter for 'only' spending $300k on her birthday
  • Boy, 4, caught smoking under a Bangkok bridge sent to government-run shelter
  • 'I feel incredibly honoured': Drum major who dreamed of role as teen leads Singapore Police Force Band in centennial celebration
This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.