I Want Her Style: Fashion influencer Saffron Sharpe is sexy and she knows it

What does personal style mean to you? To many, it’s more than just the clothes off their backs — it’s the freedom to express who they are on the inside before even saying a word. While we all have a personal sense of style, no two individuals are exactly the same when it comes to the way they dress. In this column I Want Her Style, we speak to the stylish individuals of Singapore, and find out what makes their minds tick when it comes to fashion, and the people who inspire them.

Scroll through Saffron Sharpe’s Instagram page, and you’ll find plenty of images of the 26-year- old in poised and confident poses.

In a way, it’s testament to how good Saffron is at her job – the full-time fashion influencer says that while she’s rather adventurous and boisterous, deep down, she is actually quite a reserved person at heart.

According to Saffron, she started out as “a stereotypical hot babe type of IG girl”. Since then, the Hong Kong-born Singaporean has evolved into more than just a one-dimensional content creator.

The former TNP New Face 2013 finalist has more than 189,000 followers on Instagram. She also hosts, creates her own content on Youtube, and is part of a talk show Just Saying, together with online personalities such as Jade Rasif and Munah Bagharib. To date, she has more than 41,000 subscribers on Youtube.

Her journey as a Youtuber began after she landed a job to co-host Youtube talk show Real Talk by Millennials of Singapore in 2018. “I never expected to fall into this field,” she shares.

“I was quite tired of posting content related to my looks and body, and I wanted to showcase a different side of myself. I don’t ever regret my decision of doing that, as it allowed me to grow a deeper connection with my online family, and gave me a niche in the industry.”

Still, there are times when Saffron grapples with being in the public eye. “The challenge I face now is trying to maintain some privacy between my real life and what I present online,” she says.

Then, there’s the online vitriol. Saffron says she faces “constant hate” that is “directed at my weight and my openness online”.

She also receives comments that sexualise her, she says, without going into detail.

“I still struggle with (these) comments, but I try to focus on the good stuff that my job has presented me with. I am also very aware that every job has its ups and downs, and I am very grateful for the position I am in,” she adds.

Indeed, Saffron, who earns a living producing branded content, is now in a position where she can work with luxury fashion brands – something she says took a lot of work to achieve. “It took me about three to four years of constant networking, and channelling resources into my Instagram to allow clients to see the potential behind me,” she says.

Below, Saffron shares her thoughts on fashion, as well as her aspirations.

My personal style is… Elevated casual. I take a lot of inspiration from British street fashion and stylish girls on Instagram and Tiktok.

My favourite designer is… Hedi Slimane (Celine’s creative director). He captures elevated basics very well, and injects a feminine androgynous style into a lot of his clothes. I would love to work with the brand some day. I also love Asian brands like Vietnamese label Fanci Club and Korean brand Osoi for its bags.

The best thing about fashion today is… It is way more democratic, thanks to social media platforms such as Tiktok.

My go-to, fuss-free outfit for work days is… A baseball baby tee and a loose printed skirt. I also love to rock a trucker cap since I am too lazy to do my hair.

When purchasing a new piece of clothing or accessory, my boxes to check are… Whether I can wear it more than once. I like things that stand out and are not found in Singapore – a bit pretentious of me, but then again, I'm an Aquarius.

In my opinion, there is no such thing as a fashion faux pas, because… There shouldn’t be rules when it comes to expressing yourself through clothes. I will not pass judgement on people’s choices, since everyone is comfortable in their own outfits!

If I had all the money in the world… And if Singapore was less “reserved”, I would definitely dress more like Italian-American actor and model Julia Fox, who is known for her bold, often controversial, fashion choices.

In an ideal world, if I weren’t a host/ Youtuber… I would love to be Paris Hilton, haha!

Check out the women who inspire Saffron:

MAE TAN, creative consultant @marxmae

Credit: @marxmae

1/4

“I admire her sense of style and her spirit of entrepreneurship.”

JADE RASIF, DJ and online personality @djjaderasif

Credit: @djjaderasif

2/4

“I love her eloquence and sense of humour.”

JULIA FOX, actor and model @juliafox

Credit: @juliafox

3/4

“Her candour and humour is one-of-a-kind.”

PLEARNPICHAYA KOMALARAJUN, actor @juneiperb0i

Credit: @juneiperb0i

4/4

“I have such a girl crush on her. I just love how gorgeous she is!”