F ZINE People Cam: Singapore Art Book Fair 2025 Edition

Age: 20

Occupation: Philosophy student

Her fit: “The skeleton hand hair clips are from the Halloween section of a fancy dress shop. I got the two sword pendants from a market, and the spiked bracelets one from various shops… the teal walking boots were found under a hedge on the side of the road in Manchester (don’t worry, I’ve cleaned and repaired them). As for the black shirt with red, white, and blue skulls and a plaid skirt, I got these from the London cat shelter charity shop I used to work at, so I got first dibs on all the stock.”

What brought her to the fair: “”One friend wanted to buy The Other Vegetable Book that was being sold at the event, while another friend works at the fair and told me to come by to see them and the gallery. I also wanted to check out different artists’ styles and hear more about their practices — plus, having so much physical media to explore in one place is pretty rare, so I would’ve gone anyway.”

What she got at the fair: “A postcard featuring 17 cute creatures — Stitches, Beauty, Happy, Ponyo, Green Mushroom, and more — each with their own unique personality. I got it because it was such good value for just one or two dollars, from the maker @suzixingu. I also got a tag pendant from @monstore featuring a black cat on fire, with red horns and a pentagram on its forehead that says “cat will bless you”. I’m turning it into a necklace because I love the idea of receiving blessings (and a bit of hexing power) from a lucky black cat.”

Name: Hui Si

Age: 25

Occupation: Tattoo artist

Her fit: “That day, I was wearing a bandana from @kiiidsclub in Chongqing, China, a Logo Removal Tee by @niamhgalea from Sydney, and a pair of trousers from Sans & Sans. My bag was the Club crossbody from Arcs, my socks were from Uniqlo, and I had on my Maipo Explorer shoes from Merrell.”

The story behind her fit: “I’ve always been a fun little shirt-and-big-pants kind of person! I love wearing colours and feel most like myself when I’m in my favourites — green and purple. I started wearing bandanas this year and found them to be such a fun, easy way to add personality to an outfit (and they’re perfect for bad hair days too). I picked up hiking this year, so I got these shoes for that, and they’re super comfy for long walks. Most importantly, I’ve found so much value in buying from small businesses — you get unique pieces with stories behind them, and it feels good knowing you’re supporting independent creators.

What brought her to the fair: “I’ve been going since around 2014 — I think the first time might’ve been a school art trip — and it’s something I look forward to every year. I really believe it’s important, now more than ever, to support events like this, both with our attention and money (if we can), so the local art scene can continue to thrive… I’m a big believer in creating the reality you want to live in — if you feel like Singapore lacks arts, culture, or third spaces, then seek them out! Be part of the narrative in whatever way you can… This year felt extra special because my friends were boothing (shoutout @tofuhouse.films and @radioriotgrrrl) and it was so nice seeing them. I think artists are doing the real work — sacrificing sleep, pooling resources, sharing their art, and building community wherever they go. Conversations with them always remind me that there are alternative ways to live outside of the capitalist rat race.”

What she got at the fair: “I got a hand-bound calendar from Groundtable (the dates were typed on a typewriter!), a photo print on cloth from Sore Sore’s Shelf, and a zine from FLMK Artist Book Association. The artist from Groundtable told me she made the calendar to document her time living in Germany for a year. She also displayed a long scroll of receipt paper filled with things she’d bought and stories attached to them. It really resonated with me because I used to collect receipts when I was younger and label them with who I was with and what we did — it felt like archiving little moments of my life. The zine from FLMK was bound with cloth and featured wax prints of leaves and branches — it reminded me of what I see while hiking, and I loved how tactile it felt.”

Name: Claire Lim

Age: 24

Occupation: Artist and art educator

Her fit: “That day, I was wearing a top from Cotton On, a wrap skirt from The Retro Factory — a flea market in Katong — made by a lady who creates batik products, and a pair of shoes from GU. It was honestly a pretty casual, last-minute outfit! I usually wear a lot of black and greyscale clothes that match my art, but I decided to go for more colour and pattern this time to match the booth I was manning — and to stay comfy too. I was helping out at a booth called Hotpot Blues, which was started by my friends, and I also had a few of my own works on display there.”

What she got at the fair: “I picked up some fabric prints from Soresore, fabric patches from Tofu House, a print from FAHFDR, and a bunch of cute riso stickers and pins from Twoinrow.print. My room walls are still pretty blank, so I wanted to add some art for decoration — I kind of want my room to feel like a mini gallery, with rotating works by different artists. I’m also planning to sew the fabric patches onto a T-shirt and blazer!”

Name: Elizabeth Lim

Age: 33

Occupation: Illustrator

Her fit: “That day, I was wearing a top from Taobao, a skirt I got in Bangkok, Doc Martens shoes, and sunglasses from Gentle Monster. The velvet tote bag I was carrying is actually my own merch.”

The story behind her fit: “Honestly, I was dressing for comfort since I thought I’d be walking from the MRT station to the venue, lol. Most of my clothes are black, and I like adding a pop of red — it’s my favourite colour and my go-to accent when I’m putting an outfit together.”

What brought her to SGABF: “I came to the Singapore Art Book Fair hoping to find prints for my new place. I didn’t end up finding any that really resonated with me, but I did pick up a few other bits — some zines, stickers and a book.”

What she got at the fair: “One of my favourite finds was a zine called Devotion by @gracehong.party — I really like works that explore themes of stigma and shame surrounding sexuality. I also got a portrait of myself as a vegetable by @meng.juice… just because it was hilarious.”

Name: Sheryl Tan

Age: 35

Occupation: Freelance graphic designer and illustrator

Her fit: “I was wearing a dress from Pomelo, shades from Blue Elephant, shoes from Charles & Keith, and earrings and socks from Taobao. My bag was a gift, and the rings were a mix of store-bought ones and a few that I made myself — I actually make and sell my own silver rings! I picked something light and airy because the weather was absolutely unforgiving that day.”

What brought her to SGABF: “I love events like these; they’re such a fun way to see what everyone’s creating and wearing.”

What she got at the fair: “I got a four-piece tea set from Stay with Tuesday and some stickers from Two in Row as they made me chuckle.”

Name: Haney Khairunnisa Mohd Nor

Age: 26

Occupation: Civil servant

Her fit: “I was wearing a printed top from Trick and Tricky, an Indonesian brand, paired with Carhartt jeans. I also layered a headband over my otherwise plain black hijab! Honestly, I wish I could say I’d thought through my outfit with some big inspiration, but the truth is I just knew I wanted to wear the black headband, so I mixed and matched pieces I already had.”

What brought her to SGABF: “It was my first time at the fair! I’d heard about it from a friend who introduced me to zines, and I wanted to soak in the creativity and passion of everyone there.”

What she got at the fair: “I mainly picked up posters and postcards, but one in particular caught my eye — a poster by a Vietnamese artist (I can’t remember their name) that highlighted the Palestinian cause. It really made me feel seen.”

Name: Natasha Izatil

Age: 30

Occupation: Social media executive

Her fit: “I was wearing a top from Arcade, a dress from Tuff Puff, pants from Oat, Nike shoes, a Baggu x Molly Goddard bag, and glasses from Empatmata. I wanted a pop of colour and a few layers, even on a hot day, so I chose light pieces that wouldn’t feel heavy while layering — plus, it had to work for Baybeats right after the Book Fair!”

What brought her to SGABF: “My husband and I haven’t had a proper date in a while since we had our baby, so the Book Fair was perfect timing. Plus, we wanted to discover new books and get inspired!”

What she got at the fair: “I got a few things at the fair! First, Fruit Salad by Chiara Armellini, it’s such a funny flip-book! I bought it with my baby in mind, but honestly, I’m enjoying it too! We can invent our own imaginary fruits with silly names just by flipping the pages, and the illustrations are adorable. I also picked up a letter pack from Rambutan for a good friend who loves writing letters, and a little notebook for myself because I can never resist collecting notebooks!”

Name: Faris Sedek

Age: 30

Occupation: Freelance videographer and video editor

His fit: “I was wearing a navy button-up shirt and barrel-shaped jeans by JCaesar, with a thrifted scarf tied around my neck. Honestly, I was running out of clothes to wear, so I dug deep into my wardrobe for a shirt I rarely reach for and paired it with my current favourite jeans.”

What brought him to SGABF: “It was actually my first time at the Singapore Art Book Fair. To be honest, it doubled as a little date night for me and my wife and we thought, why not drop by? It’s always been on my must-go list since my NAFA days, but I never had the chance to attend until now.”

What he got at the fair: “I ended up getting three things. Ironically, the first wasn’t even a book: a football jersey by @halftime.speech. I’m a Chelsea fan, and I couldn’t resist this spoof Chelsea kit where the emblem was replaced with the logo of the band Blur. I also picked up a Zinedine Zidane air freshener by them, and lastly, an upcycled notebook by Holycrap x OFFCUT. I’ve always admired Holycrap’s work, so when I saw a notebook made from remnant waste and discarded scraps from their book Blood, Sweat & Tears, I had to get it.”