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| birth_date        = 7 February 1997
| birth_date        = 7 February 1997
| birth_place        = Hong Kong
| birth_place        = Hong Kong
| education          = CHIJ Toa Payoh (Secondary), Catholic Junior College,  Goldsmiths, University of London (Bachelor of Media and Communications)
| education          = Degree in Media and Communications
| relatives          = Serene Chiu (mother)
| relatives          = Serene Chiu (mother)
| website            = http://saffronsharpe.co/
| website            = http://saffronsharpe.co/
}}
|alma mater=CHIJ Toa Payoh (Secondary), Catholic Junior College, Goldsmiths, University of London}}
[[File:Saffron Sharpe and mother.jpg|thumb|''Saffron (right) and her mother, Serene Chiu, (left) who had raised her single-handedly from young. Photo from Saffron Sharpe.'']]
Saffron Sharpe (born 7 February 1997) is a Singaporean influencer and YouTuber. Between 2018 and 2019, she was one of the four hosts on the YouTube talk show ''Real Talk'' by [[Millennials of Singapore]]. As of 14 May 2020, she has 186,000 followers on [https://www.instagram.com/saffronsharpe/?hl=en Instagram] and more than 23,000 subscribers [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcAAX5G3dpENvqhbb52Mqnw YouTube].
[[File:Saffron Sharpe Cebu.jpg|thumb|''The thumbnail for Saffron's travel vlog to Cebu, Philippines in partnership with CheapTickets.sg.'']]
[[File:The Great Fiji Challenge.jpg|thumb|''Saffron with Dee Kosh (left) and Keiji (right) during The Great Fiji Challenge. Photo from Tourism Fiji YouTube.'']]
Saffron Sharpe is a Singaporean lifestyle social media influencer and YouTuber ([https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcAAX5G3dpENvqhbb52Mqnw YouTube channel]). As of 2019, she has more than 170,000 followers on Instagram ([https://www.instagram.com/saffronsharpe/?hl=en Instagram profile]) and more than 19,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel. She is also one of the four hosts for the YouTube talk show 'Real Talk' by Millennials of Singapore.


==Background==
==Background==
Saffron's parents separated when she was one and a half years old and her mother, Serene Chiu, had raised her ever since.<ref>Tan, Guan. "Meet Saffron Sharpe & Her Inspiring Single Mother, Serene Chiu". ''ELLE Singapore.'' March 15, 2019. Accessed on 22 April 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.elle.sg/meet-saffron-sharpe-her-inspiring-single-mother-serene-chiu/</ref> At 15 years old, she set up a personal blog although she had since moved on to creating video content on YouTube. In a 2019 interview, Saffron and Serene recollected the struggles and successes that they had faced as an unconventional mother-daughter family nucleus.<ref>Tan, Guan. "Meet Saffron Sharpe & Her Inspiring Single Mother, Serene Chiu". ''ELLE Singapore.'' March 15, 2019. Accessed on 22 April 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.elle.sg/meet-saffron-sharpe-her-inspiring-single-mother-serene-chiu/</ref> As of March 2019, Saffron charges S$1,500 for an Instagram post and S$500 for an Instagram story, earning as much as S$80,000 to S$90,000 a year.<ref>Toh, Wen Li. "A day in life of an influencer: 'I don't want to be some irrelevant blogger still trying to make it in my late 20s'". ''The Straits Times''. April 13, 2019. Accessed on 22 April 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-influencer-i-dont-want-to-be-some-irrelevant-blogger-still-trying</ref>  
 
===Early life & family===
[[File:Saffron Sharpe and mother.jpg|thumb|''Saffron (right) and her mother, Serene Chiu, (left) who had raised her single-handedly from young. Photo from Saffron Sharpe.'']]
Saffron was born in Hong Kong on 7 February 1997 to a British-caucasian father<ref>saffronsharpe. ''Instagram''. Accessed on 15 May 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.instagram.com/saffronsharpe/?hl=en</ref> and a Chinese mother. While not much is known about her biological father, it is clear that her parents separated when she was one and a half years old.<ref>Tan, Guan. "[https://www.elle.sg/meet-saffron-sharpe-her-inspiring-single-mother-serene-chiu/ Meet Saffron Sharpe & Her Inspiring Single Mother, Serene Chiu]". ''ELLE Singapore.'' March 15, 2019. Accessed on 22 April 2019.</ref> Her mother, Serene Chiu had raised her ever since.<ref>Toh Wen Li. "[https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-influencer-i-dont-want-to-be-some-irrelevant-blogger-still-trying A day in the life of an influencer: 'I don't want to be some irrelevant blogger still trying to make it in my late 20s']". ''The Straits Times''. April 13, 2019. Accessed on 15 May 2020.</ref>  


===Education===
===Education===
Saffron was from CHIJ Toa Payoh. After her 'O' Levels, she entered the Humanities stream at Catholic Junior College in 2014 where she was also a student councillor.<ref>Catholic Junior College. “2015 GCE ‘A’ Level Results. March 4, 2016. Accessed on 6 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://cjc.moe.edu.sg/cjc/news/2015-gce-a-level-results</ref> When she graduated in 2015, the college publicly commended her for her outstanding 'A' Level results on their website.<ref>Catholic Junior College. “2015 GCE ‘A’ Level Results. March 4, 2016. Accessed on 6 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://cjc.moe.edu.sg/cjc/news/2015-gce-a-level-results</ref> Before starting her university education, Saffron decided to take a gap year in 2016.<ref>Saffron Sharpe. “20 facts about me #saffvlogs | Saffron Sharpe”. May 31, 2017. Accessed on 6 March 2019. ''Youtube''. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PieFd0hR2OI</ref>  
Saffron was from CHIJ Toa Payoh Secondary School. In 2014, she entered the Humanities stream at Catholic Junior College where she was also a student councillor.<ref>Catholic Junior College. “[https://cjc.moe.edu.sg/cjc/news/2015-gce-a-level-results 2015 GCE ‘A’ Level Results]". March 4, 2016. Accessed on 6 March 2019.</ref> Upon graduation in 2015, she was commended on the college's website for her outstanding 'A' Level results.<ref>Catholic Junior College. “[https://cjc.moe.edu.sg/cjc/news/2015-gce-a-level-results 2015 GCE ‘A’ Level Results]". March 4, 2016. Accessed on 6 March 2019.</ref> Saffron took a gap year in 2016<ref>Saffron Sharpe. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PieFd0hR2OI 20 facts about me #saffvlogs | Saffron Sharpe]”. ''YouTube''. May 31, 2017. Accessed on 6 March 2019.</ref> before joining Singapore Management University (SMU) where she studied business for a year.<ref>Toh, Wen Li. "[https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-influencer-i-dont-want-to-be-some-irrelevant-blogger-still-trying A day in life of an influencer: 'I don't want to be some irrelevant blogger still trying to make it in my late 20s']". ''The Straits Times''. April 13, 2019. Accessed on 22 April 2019.</ref> In a "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnk3ho8XqB4 2018 recap]" vlog, Saffron announced that she had withdrawn from SMU and will be transferring to Goldsmiths, University of London, to major in Media and Communications.<ref>Saffron Sharpe. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnk3ho8XqB4 2018 recap]”. ''YouTube''. February 4, 2019. Accessed on 6 March 2019.</ref>
==YouTube==


===Saffron Sharpe - Content creator (2014 - present day)===
Saffron's first few videos on YouTube in 2014 and 2015 were mostly of travel and beauty-related content. She started uploading frequently in 2016 and expanded her channel to include fitness routines, lookbooks, makeup tutorials and personal vlogs. In May 2017, she uploaded "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PieFd0hR2OI 20 facts about me #saffvlogs | Saffron Sharpe]" where she shared personal details with her viewers. As of May 2020, it is the highest viewed video on her channel with 143,000 views.<ref>Saffron Sharpe. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PieFd0hR2OI 20 facts about me #saffvlogs | Saffron Sharpe]”. ''YouTube''. May 31, 2017. Accessed on 6 March 2019.</ref>
===[[Millennials of Singapore]] - ''Real Talk'' host (2018 - 2019)===
Saffron was one of the hosts for YouTube series ''Real Talk'' alongside co-stars are [[Jade Rasif]], Johnathan Chua and Dew. ''Real Talk'' covers issues ranging from smoking to unplanned pregnancy in an uncensored and transparent manner. In the show, the four hosts discuss these issues while providing their opinions and personal anecdotes. Saffron left the show after 31 episodes to further her studies overseas.<ref>Millennials of Singapore. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qNif2vvtjA&list=PLTiPyDtowSLS_oGC6b8MuUfNjynhZnA4i&index=10 Saffron's Farewell - Episode 31]". ''YouTube''. September 23, 2019. Accessed on 14 May 2020. </ref> She was replaced by Hashy Yusof-Than.


She got accepted into Singapore Management University (SMU) where she studied business for a year.<ref>Toh, Wen Li. "A day in life of an influencer: 'I don't want to be some irrelevant blogger still trying to make it in my late 20s'". ''The Straits Times''. April 13, 2019. Accessed on 22 April 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-influencer-i-dont-want-to-be-some-irrelevant-blogger-still-trying</ref> In a '2018 recap' vlog ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnk3ho8XqB4 YouTube video]), Saffron announced that she had withdrawn from SMU. She had been accepted into Goldsmiths, University of London, majoring in Media and Communications.<ref>Saffron Sharpe. “2018 recap”. ''YouTube''. February 4, 2019. Accessed on 6 March 2019. ''Youtube''. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnk3ho8XqB4</ref>  
==Collaborations==


==Career highlights==
===Advertorials & brand representation===
 
[[File:The Great Fiji Challenge.jpg|thumb|''Saffron with Dee Kosh (left) and Keiji (right) during The Great Fiji Challenge. Photo from Tourism Fiji YouTube.'']]
===Real Talk (March 2018 - Present)===
[[File:Saffron Sharpe Cebu.jpg|thumb|''The thumbnail for Saffron's travel vlog to Cebu, Philippines in partnership with CheapTickets.sg.'']]
Saffron is one of the hosts for the YouTube series “Real Talk”. Working alongside her as co-stars are [[Jade Rasif]], Johnathan Chua and Dew. ‘Real Talk’ covers issues ranging from smoking to unplanned pregnancy in an uncensored and transparent manner. In the show, the four hosts discuss these issues while providing their opinions and personal anecdotes.
Saffron has worked with brands like L’Oreal, Grab, Uniqlo, Dove, Biore, Adidas, CheapTickets, Zalora and AirAsia.<ref>Tay, Vivienne. “Now following: Saffron Sharpe”. Marketing. June 22, 2017. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.marketing-interactive.com/now-following-saffron-sharpe/</ref> In 2017, she was one of the three Singaporean YouTubers who had been sent to Fiji. In collaboration with Tourism Fiji, Saffron, [[Umehara Keiji]] and [[Dee Kosh (Darryl Koshy)|Dee Kosh]] participated in ''The Great Fiji Challenge'' - a six-episode series comprising of challenges such as creating cocktails,<ref>Tourism Fiji. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH04qpqvyec The Great Fiji Challenge - Episode #5 - Find the Flavours of Fiji]”. ''YouTube''. November 3, 2017. Accessed on 7 March 2019.</ref> stand-up paddling<ref>Tourism Fiji. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_ny6C9ShzE The Great Fiji Challenge - Episode #4 - Paddle to the Medal]”. ''YouTube''. November 3, 2017. Accessed on 7 March 2019.</ref> and sky-diving.<ref>Tourism Fiji. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91h4OlOH3OE The Great Fiji Challenge - Episode #6 - Jump into Happiness]”. ''YouTube''. November 3, 2017. Accessed on 7 March 2019.</ref> In 2018, she was sent to Cebu, Philippines by CheapTickets to film a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyG0hOsTHjk travel vlog].<ref>CheapTickets.sg. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.cheaptickets.sg/travel/philippines</ref> As of May 2020, the video has more than 26,000 views on YouTube and is also featured on the CheapTickets website.<ref>CheapTickets.sg. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.cheaptickets.sg/travel/philippines</ref>
 
===YouTube (2014 - Present)===
Saffron's first few videos on YouTube in 2014 and 2015 were mostly travel videos and beauty routines. She started uploading frequently in 2016 and expanded her channel to include fitness routines, lookbooks, makeup tutorials and personal vlogs ([https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcAAX5G3dpENvqhbb52Mqnw/videos YouTube Channel]). In May 2017, she uploaded '20 facts about me #saffvlogs | Saffron Sharpe' where she shared personal details of herself and her life with the audience ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PieFd0hR2OI YouTube video]). As of 2019, it is the highest viewed video on her channel with 115,000 views.<ref>Saffron Sharpe. “20 facts about me #saffvlogs | Saffron Sharpe”. ''YouTube''. May 31, 2017. Accessed on 6 March 2019. ''Youtube''. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PieFd0hR2OI</ref>
 
 
Saffron has worked with many notable fashion, lifestyle and beauty brands such as L’Oreal, Grab, Uniqlo, Dove, Biore, Adidas, CheapTickets, Zalora and AirAsia.<ref>Tay, Vivienne. “Now following: Saffron Sharpe”. Marketing. June 22, 2017. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.marketing-interactive.com/now-following-saffron-sharpe/</ref> In 2017, she was one of the three Singaporean YouTubers who had been sent to Fiji. In collaboration with Tourism Fiji, Saffron, Keiji Umehara and [[Dee Kosh (Darryl Koshy)|Dee Kosh]] participated in 'The Great Fiji Challenge' - a 6-episode series comprising of challenges such as creating cocktails,<ref>Tourism Fiji. “The Great Fiji Challenge - Episode #5 - Find the Flavours of Fiji”. November 3, 2017. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Youtube. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH04qpqvyec</ref> stand-up paddling,<ref>Tourism Fiji. “The Great Fiji Challenge - Episode #4 - Paddle to the Medal”. November 3, 2017. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Youtube. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_ny6C9ShzE</ref> and sky-diving.<ref>Tourism Fiji. “The Great Fiji Challenge - Episode #6 - Jump into Happiness”. November 3, 2017. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91h4OlOH3OE</ref>
 
 
In May 2018, she had been sent to Cebu, Philippines by CheapTickets to film a travel vlog.<ref>CheapTickets.sg. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.cheaptickets.sg/travel/philippines</ref> The vlog featured her experiencing the itinerary planned by CheapTickets. Activities included canyoneering, engaging in outdoor adventure sports and savouring the local delicacies ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=15&v=UyG0hOsTHjk YouTube video]). As of April 2019, the video has received more than 24,000 views on YouTube and is also featured on the CheapTickets website.<ref>CheapTickets.sg. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.cheaptickets.sg/travel/philippines</ref>
 
 
Saffron has also worked with other Singaporean YouTube personalities such as [[Eden Ang]] ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9digiUMEws YouTube video]) and channels like ZULA, a female-centric sister site of TheSmartLocal. In February 2019, she collaborated with ZULA and was featured in the first episode of a new series called 'ZULA Beauty Profiles' ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbPeZpmHtkA YouTube video]).
 
===TNP New Face 2013===
At 16 years old, Saffron participated in the 2013 The New Paper New Face competition ([https://www.imsph.sg/tnpnewface/ official website]). TNP New Face is an annual beauty pageant organised by The New Paper and presented by Subaru. Winners of the competition are awarded up to SGD$10,000 in cash.<ref>"About the competition". ''TNP New Face. Accessed on 15 February 2019.''Retrieved from: https://www.imsph.sg/tnpnewface/about-the-pageant/</ref>
 
 
Saffron Sharpe had been shortlisted as a Top 20 finalist and was in the running for the pageant's 'Miss Popularity' title.<ref>Shi, Tianyun. "VOTE FOR THE NEW PAPER NEW FACE’S MISS POPULARITY". September 24, 2013. ''Her World''. Accessed on 22 April 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.herworld.com/fashion/vote-new-paper-new-face%E2%80%99s-miss-popularity</ref> Other Singaporean influencers such as [[Jade Rasif]] and [[Nicole Choo]] have also had their own experiences in TNP New Face.


=='Fashion police' video controversy (2016)==
===Guest features===
In June 2016, Saffron was featured in a promotional video for Toggle’s web series, 'Double Trouble'. In the video, the camera crew had secretly filmed passersby at Orchard Road while Saffron made critical remarks about their dressing. The faces of the passersby were censored to protect their identities.<ref>Low, Tracy. “‘Fashion police’ video courts trouble for Toggle”. The New Paper. July 1 , 2016. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/fashion-police-video-courts-trouble-toggle</ref>  
Saffron has also worked with other Singaporean YouTube personalities such as [[Eden Ang]] and channels like ZULA, a female-centric sister site of [[TheSmartLocal (TSL) Media Group|TheSmartLocal]]. In 2019, she was featured in the debut episode of a new YouTube series called ''ZULA Beauty Profiles''.<div style="display:flex; justify-content:space-around; flex-wrap: wrap;">
<div><youtube><nowiki>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbPeZpmHtkA</nowiki></youtube>
</div>
</div>


==Other endeavours==


Saffron’s comments provoked backlash from netizens, causing the video to be removed by Toggle who also released an official apology.<ref>Low, Tracy. “Toggle Says Sorry on Facebook”. The New Paper. July 1, 2016. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/fashion-police-video-courts-trouble-toggle</ref> In a statement given to The New Paper, Saffron commented that she had felt unsure and uncomfortable with the idea but chose to continue with the filming. She also mentioned that she had been directed by Miss Ang, founder of thinkBIG Communications, on whom to comment on and on what to say.<ref>Low, Tracy. “‘Fashion police’ video courts trouble for Toggle”. The New Paper. July 1 , 2016. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/fashion-police-video-courts-trouble-toggle</ref>  
===Shopsaffy - Founder===
Saffron founded [https://shopsaffy.bigcartel.com/ Shopsaffy] - an online store - some time in late 2019 or early 2020.<ref>Saffron Sharpe. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cdYjTla0ZE How to run an online store (my online store - shopsaffy, SME)]". ''YouTube''. May 5, 2020. Accessed on 15 May 2020.</ref> As of May 2020, the store carries a ''Holoq Holoq'' line consisting of a phone case, t-shirt and crop top.<ref>"[https://shopsaffy.bigcartel.com/products Products]". ''shopsaffy''. Accessed on 15 May 2020.</ref> Saffron shared that she injected approximately $7,000 in capital to launch the above three products.<ref>Saffron Sharpe. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cdYjTla0ZE How to run an online store (my online store - shopsaffy, SME)]". ''YouTube''. May 5, 2020. Accessed on 15 May 2020.</ref> She had hired a freelance graphic designer under NOUT studio<ref>ivanistic. ''Instagram''. Accessed on 15 May 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.instagram.com/ivanistic/</ref> to execute the concept of her debut product line.


===TNP New Face 2013 - Finalist===
Saffron participated in The New Paper New Face competition ([https://www.imsph.sg/tnpnewface/ official website]) at sixteen years old. TNP New Face is an annual beauty pageant organised by ''The New Paper'' where winners of the competition are awarded up to $10,000 in cash.<ref>"[https://www.imsph.sg/tnpnewface/about-the-pageant/ About the competition]". ''TNP New Face.'' Accessed on 15 February 2019.</ref> Saffron was shortlisted as a Top 20 finalist and was in the running for the pageant's Miss Popularity title.<ref>Shi, Tianyun. "[https://www.herworld.com/fashion/vote-new-paper-new-face%E2%80%99s-miss-popularity VOTE FOR THE NEW PAPER NEW FACE’S MISS POPULARITY]". September 24, 2013. ''Her World''. Accessed on 22 April 2019.</ref> Other Singaporean influencers such as [[Jade Rasif]] and [[Nicole Choo]] have also had their own experiences in TNP New Face competition.


However, a representative of thinkBIG Communications refuted Saffron's claims, claiming that everyone involved in the shoot had been informed of the content beforehand and they would not have continued filming if anyone had voiced out their discomfort.<ref>Low, Tracy. “Toggle Says Sorry on Facebook”. The New Paper. July 1, 2016. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/fashion-police-video-courts-trouble-toggle</ref>
==Newsworthy incident==


==='Fashion police' video controversy (2016)===
In June 2016, Saffron was featured in a promotional video for Toggle’s web series ''Double Trouble''. In the video, the camera crew had secretly filmed passersby at Orchard Road while Saffron made critical remarks about their dressing.<ref>Low, Tracy. “‘[https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/fashion-police-video-courts-trouble-toggle Fashion police’ video courts trouble for Toggle]”. ''The New Paper''. July 1, 2016. Accessed on 7 March 2019.</ref> Saffron’s comments provoked a backlash from netizens, prompting Toggle to remove the video and release an official apology.<ref>Low, Tracy. “[https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/fashion-police-video-courts-trouble-toggle Toggle Says Sorry on Facebook]”. ''The New Paper''. July 1, 2016. Accessed on 7 March 2019.</ref> In a statement given to ''The New Paper'', Saffron commented that she had felt uncomfortable with the idea but chose to continue with the filming. She also mentioned that she had been directed by Miss Ang, founder of thinkBIG Communications, on whom to comment on and on what to say.<ref>Low, Tracy. “‘[https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/fashion-police-video-courts-trouble-toggle Fashion police’ video courts trouble for Toggle]”. ''The New Paper''. July 1, 2016. Accessed on 7 March 2019.</ref> However, a representative of thinkBIG Communications refuted Saffron's claims, claiming that everyone involved in the shoot had been informed of the content beforehand and they would not have continued filming if anyone had voiced out their discomfort.<ref>Low, Tracy. “[https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/fashion-police-video-courts-trouble-toggle Toggle Says Sorry on Facebook]”. ''The New Paper''. July 1, 2016. Accessed on 7 March 2019.</ref>
==References / Citations==
==References / Citations==
<references />
<references />
[[Category:People of Interest]]
[[Category:People of Interest]]
[[Category:Singapore Media]]

Latest revision as of 12:04, 4 September 2020

Saffron Sharpe
Saffron Sharpe profile.jpg
Born7 February 1997
Hong Kong
EducationDegree in Media and Communications
Alma materCHIJ Toa Payoh (Secondary), Catholic Junior College, Goldsmiths, University of London
RelativesSerene Chiu (mother)
Websitehttp://saffronsharpe.co/

Saffron Sharpe (born 7 February 1997) is a Singaporean influencer and YouTuber. Between 2018 and 2019, she was one of the four hosts on the YouTube talk show Real Talk by Millennials of Singapore. As of 14 May 2020, she has 186,000 followers on Instagram and more than 23,000 subscribers YouTube.

Background

Early life & family

Saffron (right) and her mother, Serene Chiu, (left) who had raised her single-handedly from young. Photo from Saffron Sharpe.

Saffron was born in Hong Kong on 7 February 1997 to a British-caucasian father[1] and a Chinese mother. While not much is known about her biological father, it is clear that her parents separated when she was one and a half years old.[2] Her mother, Serene Chiu had raised her ever since.[3]

Education

Saffron was from CHIJ Toa Payoh Secondary School. In 2014, she entered the Humanities stream at Catholic Junior College where she was also a student councillor.[4] Upon graduation in 2015, she was commended on the college's website for her outstanding 'A' Level results.[5] Saffron took a gap year in 2016[6] before joining Singapore Management University (SMU) where she studied business for a year.[7] In a "2018 recap" vlog, Saffron announced that she had withdrawn from SMU and will be transferring to Goldsmiths, University of London, to major in Media and Communications.[8]

YouTube

Saffron Sharpe - Content creator (2014 - present day)

Saffron's first few videos on YouTube in 2014 and 2015 were mostly of travel and beauty-related content. She started uploading frequently in 2016 and expanded her channel to include fitness routines, lookbooks, makeup tutorials and personal vlogs. In May 2017, she uploaded "20 facts about me #saffvlogs | Saffron Sharpe" where she shared personal details with her viewers. As of May 2020, it is the highest viewed video on her channel with 143,000 views.[9]

Millennials of Singapore - Real Talk host (2018 - 2019)

Saffron was one of the hosts for YouTube series Real Talk alongside co-stars are Jade Rasif, Johnathan Chua and Dew. Real Talk covers issues ranging from smoking to unplanned pregnancy in an uncensored and transparent manner. In the show, the four hosts discuss these issues while providing their opinions and personal anecdotes. Saffron left the show after 31 episodes to further her studies overseas.[10] She was replaced by Hashy Yusof-Than.

Collaborations

Advertorials & brand representation

Saffron with Dee Kosh (left) and Keiji (right) during The Great Fiji Challenge. Photo from Tourism Fiji YouTube.
The thumbnail for Saffron's travel vlog to Cebu, Philippines in partnership with CheapTickets.sg.

Saffron has worked with brands like L’Oreal, Grab, Uniqlo, Dove, Biore, Adidas, CheapTickets, Zalora and AirAsia.[11] In 2017, she was one of the three Singaporean YouTubers who had been sent to Fiji. In collaboration with Tourism Fiji, Saffron, Umehara Keiji and Dee Kosh participated in The Great Fiji Challenge - a six-episode series comprising of challenges such as creating cocktails,[12] stand-up paddling[13] and sky-diving.[14] In 2018, she was sent to Cebu, Philippines by CheapTickets to film a travel vlog.[15] As of May 2020, the video has more than 26,000 views on YouTube and is also featured on the CheapTickets website.[16]

Guest features

Saffron has also worked with other Singaporean YouTube personalities such as Eden Ang and channels like ZULA, a female-centric sister site of TheSmartLocal. In 2019, she was featured in the debut episode of a new YouTube series called ZULA Beauty Profiles.

Other endeavours

Shopsaffy - Founder

Saffron founded Shopsaffy - an online store - some time in late 2019 or early 2020.[17] As of May 2020, the store carries a Holoq Holoq line consisting of a phone case, t-shirt and crop top.[18] Saffron shared that she injected approximately $7,000 in capital to launch the above three products.[19] She had hired a freelance graphic designer under NOUT studio[20] to execute the concept of her debut product line.

TNP New Face 2013 - Finalist

Saffron participated in The New Paper New Face competition (official website) at sixteen years old. TNP New Face is an annual beauty pageant organised by The New Paper where winners of the competition are awarded up to $10,000 in cash.[21] Saffron was shortlisted as a Top 20 finalist and was in the running for the pageant's Miss Popularity title.[22] Other Singaporean influencers such as Jade Rasif and Nicole Choo have also had their own experiences in TNP New Face competition.

Newsworthy incident

'Fashion police' video controversy (2016)

In June 2016, Saffron was featured in a promotional video for Toggle’s web series Double Trouble. In the video, the camera crew had secretly filmed passersby at Orchard Road while Saffron made critical remarks about their dressing.[23] Saffron’s comments provoked a backlash from netizens, prompting Toggle to remove the video and release an official apology.[24] In a statement given to The New Paper, Saffron commented that she had felt uncomfortable with the idea but chose to continue with the filming. She also mentioned that she had been directed by Miss Ang, founder of thinkBIG Communications, on whom to comment on and on what to say.[25] However, a representative of thinkBIG Communications refuted Saffron's claims, claiming that everyone involved in the shoot had been informed of the content beforehand and they would not have continued filming if anyone had voiced out their discomfort.[26]

References / Citations

  1. ↑ saffronsharpe. Instagram. Accessed on 15 May 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.instagram.com/saffronsharpe/?hl=en
  2. ↑ Tan, Guan. "Meet Saffron Sharpe & Her Inspiring Single Mother, Serene Chiu". ELLE Singapore. March 15, 2019. Accessed on 22 April 2019.
  3. ↑ Toh Wen Li. "A day in the life of an influencer: 'I don't want to be some irrelevant blogger still trying to make it in my late 20s'". The Straits Times. April 13, 2019. Accessed on 15 May 2020.
  4. ↑ Catholic Junior College. “2015 GCE ‘A’ Level Results". March 4, 2016. Accessed on 6 March 2019.
  5. ↑ Catholic Junior College. “2015 GCE ‘A’ Level Results". March 4, 2016. Accessed on 6 March 2019.
  6. ↑ Saffron Sharpe. “20 facts about me #saffvlogs | Saffron Sharpe”. YouTube. May 31, 2017. Accessed on 6 March 2019.
  7. ↑ Toh, Wen Li. "A day in life of an influencer: 'I don't want to be some irrelevant blogger still trying to make it in my late 20s'". The Straits Times. April 13, 2019. Accessed on 22 April 2019.
  8. ↑ Saffron Sharpe. “2018 recap”. YouTube. February 4, 2019. Accessed on 6 March 2019.
  9. ↑ Saffron Sharpe. “20 facts about me #saffvlogs | Saffron Sharpe”. YouTube. May 31, 2017. Accessed on 6 March 2019.
  10. ↑ Millennials of Singapore. "Saffron's Farewell - Episode 31". YouTube. September 23, 2019. Accessed on 14 May 2020.
  11. ↑ Tay, Vivienne. “Now following: Saffron Sharpe”. Marketing. June 22, 2017. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.marketing-interactive.com/now-following-saffron-sharpe/
  12. ↑ Tourism Fiji. “The Great Fiji Challenge - Episode #5 - Find the Flavours of Fiji”. YouTube. November 3, 2017. Accessed on 7 March 2019.
  13. ↑ Tourism Fiji. “The Great Fiji Challenge - Episode #4 - Paddle to the Medal”. YouTube. November 3, 2017. Accessed on 7 March 2019.
  14. ↑ Tourism Fiji. “The Great Fiji Challenge - Episode #6 - Jump into Happiness”. YouTube. November 3, 2017. Accessed on 7 March 2019.
  15. ↑ CheapTickets.sg. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.cheaptickets.sg/travel/philippines
  16. ↑ CheapTickets.sg. Accessed on 7 March 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.cheaptickets.sg/travel/philippines
  17. ↑ Saffron Sharpe. "How to run an online store (my online store - shopsaffy, SME)". YouTube. May 5, 2020. Accessed on 15 May 2020.
  18. ↑ "Products". shopsaffy. Accessed on 15 May 2020.
  19. ↑ Saffron Sharpe. "How to run an online store (my online store - shopsaffy, SME)". YouTube. May 5, 2020. Accessed on 15 May 2020.
  20. ↑ ivanistic. Instagram. Accessed on 15 May 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.instagram.com/ivanistic/
  21. ↑ "About the competition". TNP New Face. Accessed on 15 February 2019.
  22. ↑ Shi, Tianyun. "VOTE FOR THE NEW PAPER NEW FACE’S MISS POPULARITY". September 24, 2013. Her World. Accessed on 22 April 2019.
  23. ↑ Low, Tracy. “‘Fashion police’ video courts trouble for Toggle”. The New Paper. July 1, 2016. Accessed on 7 March 2019.
  24. ↑ Low, Tracy. “Toggle Says Sorry on Facebook”. The New Paper. July 1, 2016. Accessed on 7 March 2019.
  25. ↑ Low, Tracy. “‘Fashion police’ video courts trouble for Toggle”. The New Paper. July 1, 2016. Accessed on 7 March 2019.
  26. ↑ Low, Tracy. “Toggle Says Sorry on Facebook”. The New Paper. July 1, 2016. Accessed on 7 March 2019.
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