The umbrella term “creative” is perhaps the most fitting descriptor for the 25-year-old Singapore native Phoebe Song, whose pursuits span modelling and content creation to fashion history and product design. Most recently, she has added DJ and co-founder to her growing list of titles—the former a hobby honed on the party circuits of Seoul and Tokyo, and the latter thanks to a Y2K, nostalgia-inflected fashion brand launched with her best friend. “I like feeling productive and dipping my toes in everything I’m curious about,” she says. “It’s a Gemini trait.” 

An artistic life seems written in the stars for Song. The daughter of a furniture maker, she traces her creative leanings to a childhood steeped in craftsmanship. “I was around my dad a lot as a kid, and I loved to follow him to his factory to see what he was making that day,” she recalls. “My parents encouraged me to experiment with arts and crafts and dress myself from a young age. It really helped me figure out my personal taste and style.” 

“My style was mostly formed by watching the early 2000s runways,” Song explains. “I loved the OG models like Gisele, Shalom, and Kate, through to the Slavic era, and I slowly discovered brands I loved through watching them.” The bold, retro-futuristic influences of the Y2K aesthetic are unmistakable in her current style. Scroll through her Instagram feed and you’ll spot baby tees with cheeky slogans, low-rise jeans, and thin-framed sunglasses peeking out of metallic tote bags. She admits to gravitating towards “a maximalist wardrobe”, which is why she awaited Alessandro Michele’s Fall/Winter 2025 Valentino collection with anticipation. “My favourite thing about this collection was the contrast of bold silhouettes with soft lace.”

With her brand, Whimzi, Song channels this sensibility into whimsical, nostalgia-driven pieces. “We wanted an outlet where we could create clothes and accessories that pull motifs from a colourful, dream-like state.”

Her Instagram feed reflects this eclectic approach: outfit shots are interspersed with scribbled street art and screenshots of chats with friends. Song seems to revel in the off-kilter—and if that makes her unconventional, so be it. She admits that her feed has become far less curated over the years. “Now I use my platforms more as a scrapbook of memories, or an archive of days when I liked my outfit,” she says. “Sometimes my photos don’t make sense to others, but I always look back on them fondly—and the people who shared the moment with me do as well.”  

Ahead, Song shares more on risk-taking, her style staples, and how she would wear Valentino’s Fall/Winter 2025 Collection.

GRAZIA Singapore (GS): How would you define your personal style?

Phoebe Song (PS): I don’t think I have one singular style that I gravitate towards. Generally, street fashion would be the best way to describe it. I love pulling inspiration from old Fruits magazines. Music also influences how I dress.

GS: What fashion staples could you not live without?

PS: I always need a statement bag or a standout pair of shoes. I need a statement piece in every outfit.

Do you see yourself as a fashion risk taker or someone who plays it safe?

PS: I’m definitely a risk-taker. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it feels truest to me—and that makes me most comfortable.

GS: How would you describe your creative process?

PS: It depends on the outlet of design. For fashion, it comes from what I like and what feels right to me and my style. For spatial or product design, it’s more methodical—I prefer to understand the user I’m designing for first.

GS: What excites you about Singapore’s arts and culture scene?

PS: I like that we’re embracing local artists and supporting events by creatives of different backgrounds. You tend to see the same few faces at most events here, and it feels like an extended family gathering. Everyone is welcoming, regardless of background—I think it’s cute.

GS: How does your design background change your approach to fashion?

PS: It’s definitely made me more thoughtful. I try to support local and Southeast Asian brands instead of fast fashion as often as I can, and I choose more environmentally friendly options. They usually come in better quality, too.

GS: What piece from the Valentino Fall/Winter 2025 collection would you add to your wardrobe?

PS: The wool crepe jacket from look 16 was my favourite. I’d style it with shorts, statement boots, and funky sunglasses—a chic autumn piece.

PHOTOGRAPHY Sherman See-Tho
CREATIVE DIRECTION AND STYLING KELLY HSU
HAIR AND MAKEUP Kat Zhang/The Suburbs Studio Using JSM Beauty and GoldWell
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT Amirul Fazaile and Syed Abdullah
MAKEUP ASSISTANT Sveta Klyn/Suburbs Studio

READ MORE

Get Ready With Mavis Siow: The Content Creator Shares All Her Style Secrets

The 30-Minute Capsule Wardrobe Service Every Stylish Woman Needs to Know About 

These Are The Emerging Chinese Designers You Need To Have On Your Radar

The post Rule Breaker: Phoebe Song Is Not Your Typical Influencer appeared first on Grazia Singapore.