I started Wah so Shiok towards the end of 2017. It was a fortuitous occurrence – back then, I was hunting for an internship and knocked at BOLDR’s door. They turned down my application as a marketing intern, but the co-founder (Leon) extended an olive branch by taking his BOLDR watch off his wrist and passing it to me, saying: “There’s a lack of coverage on local brands in Singapore – why don’t you try writing an article about this watch?” That became my very first watch review.
Today, Wah so Shiok is dedicated to reviewing passionate efforts in the realms of watches and formalwear, with a penchant for covering local brands. Unfortunately, local brands don’t often get the coverage that their international counterparts do – that’s a shame, as Singapore is a hub for product design, and many homegrown brands offer great value propositions.
I’m here to shine a spotlight on local efforts, but also to show people around my age (the 90s kids!) that watch collecting and tailored suits are not just for “grown-ups”. Enough fast fashion – let’s patronise H&M and Daniel Wellington less, and instead support our local brands! Watchmaking and tailoring are painstaking artisanal crafts, the appreciation of which has been eroded by the popularity of fast fashion amongst millennials in today’s world. Wah so Shiok seeks to bring that appreciation back to the younger generations.
If you wish to contact me, you can drop me an email at qile@wahsoshiok.com.
