Latest news with #NicholasTan
South China Morning Post
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
How Singapore brand Aupen took the fashion world by storm: founder Nicholas Tan explains the creation of instant ‘It' bag the Nirvana – which boasts fans including Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé
It's nearly 8pm on a Saturday night when I suddenly realise what the hype surrounding Aupen – the viral Singaporean bag brand that counts Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo among its fans – is all about. Upstairs on the second floor of an intimate, albeit crowded, restaurant, I plop an Aupen purse down on a tiny dinner table, immediately taken aback by how it sits perfectly upright and looks so visually arresting in the process – built to stand up as much as it is built to stand out. Subtle but seductive – attracting attention without really asking for it. Early fan Taylor Swift carries Aupen's Nirvana bag as she and Travis Kelce depart an SNL party in New York City, in October 2023. Photo: GC Images That's exactly as Nicholas Tan, only recently revealed to be the brains behind the brand, would have it. When I first started seeing Aupen's arm candy on A-listers two years ago, no one even knew it was a Singaporean brand, let alone who its enigmatic founder might be. Since Aupen's official launch in late 2022, details surrounding both the brand and its founder's identity have been kept top secret. This is presumably to drum up interest in the bags themselves, but it also makes a point about what kind of brand Aupen is – in essence, one that generates buzz because it doesn't try to. Quiet marketing for quiet luxury, so to speak, operating solely on the basis of word of mouth, social media sleuths and the 'if you know, you know' mentality. Advertisement Just a few days prior I had the opportunity to meet with Tan in Hong Kong to find out more about the man behind the mystery and discuss Aupen's meteoric rise to 'It bag' brand status. 'We wanted to create a silhouette that would be timeless and not focused on having logos,' he tells me casually, looking as cool and effortless as the bags themselves. 'Something simple and sleek, such that if a girl was wearing a T-shirt and jeans, she could just pop this on and make the entire … outfit immediately stand out.' Nirvana bag in ash by Aupen. Photo: Handout You can't put someone like Tan in a box. The former national swimmer for Singapore is tall, strikingly handsome and could easily pass for a model – yet another vocation Tan has dabbled in over the years – but surprisingly has no formal design training. In other words, he's completely unlike what many people had in mind for a brand so low-key and reserved, and also not the first person who'd come to mind when thinking of a fashion brand founder. That's perfectly OK with Tan, who appears content with and even excited to be doing things differently, proving people wrong, and setting new expectations for what a bag brand – and a proudly Singaporean one, at that – should do. One of the golden charms that counterbalance the asymmetrical shape of the Nirvana bag. Photo: Handout 'When we design our bags, we want them to be sculptural,' he says, slinging Aupen's signature Nirvana bag – made in an asymmetrical shape with a golden, detachable charm acting as a counterweight on the slimmer end – over his shoulder. 'This is a little different from some bags that are crossbody, or just completely collapse. When you put it on the table, you can put it next to your coffee and take a photo.' It's this kind of storytelling through silhouettes that first gave the brand near-instant global recognition – Tan proudly claims that all of Aupen's celebrity endorsements are purely organic, not paid for – and has helped make it a success in a segment usually dominated by the Louis Vuittons and Chanels of the world. Tate McRae and Olivia Rodrigo, toting an Aupen bag, leave the Arena in Los Angeles after a Lakers game. Photo: Flash/Backgrid 'When I started I sent Aupen to everyone I knew,' Tan laughs, pointing out how Western countries and celebrities – not Singaporean or Asian KOLs – first made Aupen famous. 'I do think it has to do with the openness of the West – how they are more open to new ideas and brands.' Tan, who studied biology at Harvard, agrees that his time in the US allowed him to ponder and explore different career paths, fostering an ambitious mindset that led him to believe that anything and everything was possible.
Daily Express
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Express
Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry emerge the biggest winners
Published on: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Published on: Tue, May 20, 2025 Text Size: KKCCCI's dragon boat team members in a group photo. Kota Kinabalu: The Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCCI) Dragon Boat Team won three events and finished 1st runners-up in another from the total 12 categories of the 10th Sabah FCAS International Dragon Boat Race becoming the biggest winners of this year's competition. KKCCCI won three titles in the FCAS Trophy (HZ & local FCAS Member Mixed Team), FCAS Trophy (Malaysian Chinese Mixed Team), FCAS Trophy (Malaysian Chinese Men's Team) and emerged 1st runners-up in the Kinabalu Phoenix Trophy (Women's Team). Advertisement It was announced to the media after the prize presentation ceremony that KKCCCI will send an 18-member team to participate in the 2025 Fuzhou and the Belt and Road International Dragon Boat Race jointly organised by the Fujian Provincial Sports Bureau, Fujian Provincial Overseas Chinese Federation and Fuzhou Municipal People's Government on May 30 and 31 this year. The KKCCCI One Boat One Heart Dragon Boat Team will be led by the Youth Entrepreneurs Director of the chamber cum dragon boat Team Captain Nicholas Tan. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Borneo Post
06-05-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
Sandakan's lost era revived in landmark photo book launch
The historic launch was officiated by Madam Wong Chio Chung, who was joined by author Nicholas Tan, publisher Datuk CL Chan, and her two sons, Pastor John Kwan and Kwan Yee Hau. SANDAKAN (May 5): In a heartfelt and historic occasion, the book ' 'Vintage Images of North Borneo' by the Kwan Brothers was officially launched on May 3 at a hotel here. The event drew an overwhelming crowd of more than 150 friends, family, and guests from all walks of life, all gathered to witness a momentous unveiling of memory and heritage. The launch is being hailed as perhaps the most successful cultural event of its kind ever held in Sandakan, celebrating not just a book, but the rediscovery of a lost era through photography. The landmark publication showcases the work of three gifted siblings — Kwan Kai Fook, Kwan Yau Moi, and Kwan Dick Fook — whose cameras documented the rhythms of life in Sandakan before the war and the profound transformations that followed. Among the highlights of the launch was the sale of 12 framed photographs, featuring rare pre-war and early post-war scenes captured by Kwan Dick Fook and Kwan Yau Moi. These limited-edition prints, elegantly framed and displayed, were quickly snapped up by collectors and supporters. Proceeds from the sales — totalling RM2,400 — were generously donated by historian Nicholas Tan to the Sabah Society (Sandakan Branch), further underscoring the community spirit that marked the occasion. The book itself is the result of nearly a decade of dedicated research by Nicholas Tan, a Sandakan-born historian whose meticulous work involved tracking down archives across Sabah, London, and beyond. He also conducted interviews with elders and family members to ensure that the names, places, and stories behind each photograph were preserved with accuracy and care. Many of the images had remained unseen for decades, tucked away in family collections, and were made available through the generosity of Madam Wong Chio Chung, widow of the late Kwan Dick Fook. Wong now in her late eighties, served as guest of honour at the launch, lending the event its emotional weight and historic resonance. Her presence was deeply felt by attendees, many of whom have personal memories tied to the places and faces immortalised in the Kwan brothers' images. 'This is more than a book launch — it is a communal act of remembrance,' said Datuk CL Chan, publisher of Opus Publications. 'Through these photographs, Sandakan's history comes alive again. What was nearly forgotten is now restored, not just in archives but in the hearts of its people.' Tan shared personal reflections during the event, recounting his meetings with Kwan Dick Fook, whose knowledge and recollections proved invaluable. 'Mr Kwan could look at a blurred corner of a photograph and tell you the name of the shop, the person standing outside it, and even what year it might have been. That kind of memory is irreplaceable — and this book is a tribute to that rare gift.' Vintage Images of North Borneo features over 200 rare and carefully restored photographs, each accompanied by detailed notes and historical commentary. Together, they form the most comprehensive visual archive of pre-war and early post-war Sandakan and North Borneo to date. Beyond its visual richness, the book also serves as a testament to resilience — of a town that endured devastation and found the strength to rebuild. The publication is available at The Borneo Shop in Wisma Merdeka, Kota Kinabalu, and at the Museum Shop in the Sabah State Museum. It is already being embraced by historians, educators and members of the public as a vital historical record and a beautifully rendered tribute to the past. 'Through the Kwan brothers' lens, we see not only what once was — we feel it,' said Nicholas Tan. 'Their work, once hidden in dusty boxes and private albums, is now shared with the world. And through this book, their legacy lives on.'
Straits Times
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Fashion's new face: Aupen's Singapore founder Nicholas Tan lands British magazine cover
Aupen founder Nicholas Tan made his debut on the cover of a British magazine on April 23. PHOTO: WIN TAM SINGAPORE – Mr Nicholas Tan, the Singaporean founder of viral bag brand Aupen, can now add 'cover star' to his growing list of achievements. The 35-year-old has become the first Asian designer to front the cover of Man About Town (MAT), a London-based biannual fashion and lifestyle magazine for men that is known for its cinematic editorial spreads and high-profile tastemakers. Previous cover stars include American punk rock musician Travis Barker, American actor Jeff Goldblum and Oscar-winning Vietnam-born American actor Ke Huy Quan. In the latest issue released on April 22 that features an interview with Mr Tan, MAT describes him as a designer at the industry's apex. 'Tan's trajectory has always ultimately pointed in one direction – skyward – but now, having arrived at fashion's apex, he's finally pausing to take in the view,' says the online and print publication. Tan's international magazine debut – featuring a series of gritty and cinematic images of his bare, sculpted physique – is a bold statement not just of fashion, but also representation. 'Asian males are often portrayed with a slim, quiet demeanor. I wanted to show a stronger, more sensual side, especially on a Western platform,' he tells The Straits Times, adding that the cover was created in collaboration with British stylist Luke Day. When MAT first reached out in early 2025, the Paris-based fashion entrepreneur – who was a former national swimmer and professional model – did not hesitate. 'I was extremely excited. I jumped at the opportunity,' he recalls. 'I'd done some modelling during my swimming career – including a Dolce & Gabbana campaign – from 2007 to 2014, but this was different. That was me as the subject, not promoting someone else's vision.' While fitness has always been part of Tan's lifestyle – he works out five to six times a week no matter how busy he is – he did prepare for the shoot in other ways. 'There wasn't a special training programme, but I was conscious about food. And I definitely practised my poses and facial expressions in the mirror,' he says. He used the opportunity to collaborate with an Asian creative he deeply admired – Chinese photographer Win Tam, whose bold visual style matched the shoot's raw, expressive energy and who helped him feel at ease during the session. Mr Tan flew to Beijing, China, for the shoot, which unfolded over a full day on March 22 at a local production studio. 'They sprayed me down with oil. It looks heavy, but it wasn't uncomfortable at all,' he says with a laugh. 'My skin felt amazing after.' While he cuts a confident figure, he admits the shoot stirred up self-doubt and he felt nervous as he had 'never done anything like this before'. 'I know I might not look like someone who struggles with insecurity, but I do – physically, and even creatively when I'm designing,' he says. 'For this shoot, I had to face those insecurities head-on and really show up.' Mr Tan, who started accessories label Aupen in Singapore in 2022 and has fast become a favourite among Hollywood A-listers and regional trendsetters, is also busy behind the scenes working on the brand's next drops. New jewellery designs are in development, alongside a highly anticipated line of bags created in collaboration with multinational luxury conglomerate LVMH, slated to debut in the third quarter of 2025. Both parties have had an ongoing partnership since July 2024. Tan says in his MAT interview: 'For me, especially as a Singaporean, it feels surreal. When I started this, I never imagined, in a million years, that I'd be sitting here in Paris having these conversations. And now, I know this is just the beginning.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
