Willabelle Ong (Singapore Influencer)

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Willabelle Ong
Willabelle Pale Division.jpg
Born1994
EducationBachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Communications and Media Studies
Alma materUniversity of Western Australia
Spouse(s)King (m. 2019)

Willabelle Ong (born 1994) is a Singapore-based fashion blogger and social media personality.[1][2] She is best known for being the founder of Pale Division and has been recognised by global publications such as Harper’s Bazaar and The New York Times.[3][4] In 2014, she was the first Singaporean influencer to be awarded the Outstanding Homegrown Social Media Influencer award at the Asian Couture Federation (ACF) Awards Gala.[5][6] As of September 2020, Willabelle has over 207,000 followers on Instagram and over 176,000 followers on TikTok.

Background

Education

Willabelle Ong is an alumna of Methodist Girls’ School.[7] In 2012, Willabelle furthered her studies at the University of Western Australia (UWA) where she was a double major. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Communications and Media Studies.[8]

Personal life

Willabelle and King at their wedding in 2019. Photo from Her World.

Willabelle Ong is married to King. They got engaged in Iceland in March 2018, where King proposed at the Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon.[9] The couple had a winter-themed wedding in July 2019 at the JW Marriott Hotel in South Beach, Singapore.[10] As of 2020, Willabelle lives in Singapore with her husband while her family resides in Australia.[11]

Style inspirations

In an article published by the website, Pile Rats, Willabelle shared that her mother’s sense of style was what sparked her interest in fashion.[12] She has also listed the Italian fashion journalist, Anna Dello Russo and the late Dominican fashion designer, Oscar de la Renta as her fashion inspirations.[13] When asked about her style inspiration in a 2013 interview with Clicknetwork, she said:

“I like Anna Dello Russo, she’s an editor of Vogue Japan. Her style’s a bit loud, crazy, 'I don’t care who looks at me'. So I guess that’s kind of translating into my style.”[14]

Career

Willabelle is a professional blogger and social media influencer. Apart from running her blog, Willabelle has also worked as a contributing writer for fashion publications such as Designaré Magazine and NOWFASHION. From February 2015 to July 2016, she was also the head of social strategy and the digital editor at Fide Digital Solutions, an event management and multimedia company.[8]

Pale Division - Founder (2013 - current)

Willabelle pictured in a Versace dress. Photo from Pale Division.

Willabelle has been blogging since her university days. She first created Pale Division on the blog site, Livejournal as a way to journal her life events and catalogue her photographs.[15][16] She then began to record her daily outfits on the platform.[15] In 2014, Willabelle relaunched Pale Division as its own website, with content geared towards high-end fashion, lifestyle and beauty.[16] On Pale Division, Willabelle writes about topics ranging from high-end fashion to travel.[17] She also runs her own advertising agency, W&R Creative.[1][8]

Recognition

Pale Division has been featured by popular fashion sites such as Teen Vogue.[18] According to Willabelle, Pale Division has also been featured by major publications such as The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar and Channel News Asia, amongst others.[19] The Hollywood actress Vanessa Hudgens once said that Willabelle’s blog was “super inspirational and rad”[20] and the Asian Couture Federation remarked on Pale Division as “one of the most influential and followed fashion voices in the region”.[19]

Social media influencer

Due to her successful blog and large following on social media, luxury brands such as Dior[21] and Vacheron Constantin have partnered with Willabelle to promote their products.[22] According to Willabelle, she earns her income via the brands and companies that she features on Pale Division and social media.[12] She also manages a TikTok account, where most of her videos have received an average of over 60,000 views each.[23] When asked what she liked about the mobile app, Willabelle was quoted as saying:

“My TikTok profile is where I let loose and just have a laugh at myself, compared to my Instagram feed that is definitely more curated. But I truly feel they complement each other in different ways. Instagram is all about beautifully curated feeds and visuals, while TikTok captures the more light-hearted moments in my life.”[24]

Brand collaborations

Willabelle pictured for Dior. Photo from Instagram.

The following is a list of notable brands that Willabelle has collaborated with over the years.

Year Brand Refs.
2020 Tod’s [25]
Louis Vuitton [26]
Vacheron Constantin [27]
2019 Dior [28]
Franck Muller [29]
2018 Bulgari [30]

Media appearances

The following is a list of Willabelle's media appearances over the years.

Year Publication Refs.
2020 A Magazine [1]
Harper’s Bazaar [21]
Rose Inc [31]
Elle [32]
2019 Her World [33]
2016 [34]
2013 Clicknetwork [14]

References/ Citations

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Magazine. “A Peek Behind The Influencer Curtain With Willabelle Ong”. YouTube. March 19, 2020. Accessed on 18 September 2020.
  2. willamazing. "White and gold is my new favorite combination.". Instagram. July 29, 2019. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  3. Willabelle Ong”. Harper’s Bazaar. n.d. Accessed on 24 September 2020.
  4. Street Style: Capes and Vests”. The New York Times. n.d. Accessed on 24 September 2020.
  5. About”. Pale Division. n.d. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  6. Awards”. Asian Couture Federation. n.d. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  7. Willabelle Ong. Facebook. Accessed on 24 September 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.facebook.com/infatuations/about_work_and_education
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Willabelle Ong. LinkedIn. n.d. Accessed on 18 September 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willabelle/
  9. You Make Me Melt: Willabelle Ong and King's Dreamy Iceland Marriage Proposal”. The Wedding Scoop. March 9, 2018. Accessed 21 September 2020.
  10. Her World Brides. “Willabelle Ong On Her Relationship & Her Enchanting Winter-Themed Wedding At The JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach”. Her World. November 19, 2019. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  11. Willabelle Ong”. The Freeman Journal. 2020. Accessed on 22 September 2020.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Interview: Willabelle Ong”. Pile Rats. 2013. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  13. Jade Seah. “How Much Willabelle Ong Spends on Shopping | ChicPeek Ep 52”. YouTube. August 2, 2014. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Clicknetwork. “Luggage Raid (Willabelle Ong) - That F Word: EP16”. YouTube. August 28, 2013. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  15. 15.0 15.1 Mariano Kwan, Roselle. “5 Questions About Shoes to Willabelle Ong of Pale Division”. Yournextshoes. December 2, 2011. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  16. 16.0 16.1 Tan, Rachel. “Willabelle Ong: Writer, Photographer & Entrepreneur”. Foxesden. February 21, 2017. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  17. Archives”. Pale Division. n.d. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  18. Adeeyo, Dara. “Fashion Click Look of the Day: Pale Division Is in Neutral”. Teen Vogue. February 25, 2011. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  19. 19.0 19.1 “Press”. Pale Division. n.d. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  20. Vanessa Hudgens. "Can't get enough of @willamazing's Pale Division. Super inspirational and rad. #blogshoutout". Twitter. August 15, 2013. Accessed on 24 September 2020.
  21. 21.0 21.1 "Come Away With Miss Dior And Willabelle Ong On A Journey To Find Love In Tokyo”. Harper’s Bazaar. February 7, 2020. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  22. willamazing. "Time stands still when Égérie by @vacheronconstantin meets Égérie at Dawn (2020, Acrylic on canvas)". Instagram. August 23, 2020. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  23. willabelleofficial. TikTok. n.d. Accessed on 21 September 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.tiktok.com/@willabelleofficial
  24. Jalal, Imran. “Need A Good Laugh? Watch The Antics Of This Singapore Fashion Influencer On TikTok”. Female Singapore. April 27, 2020. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  25. willamazing. "Tell me your colour mood of the day..". Instagram. September 18, 2020. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  26. willamazing. "What makes you feel alive?". Instagram. September 15, 2020. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  27. willamazing. "Once upon a time.. @vacheronconstantin Égérie Moon Phase revisits the tradition of watchmaking complications with a poetic touch." Instagram. September 6, 2020. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  28. willamazing. "Go on a celestial journey.". Instagram. December 24, 2019. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  29. willamazing. "Which is your favorite shot?". Instagram. December 9, 2019. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  30. willamazing. "She rises with the sun." Instagram. November 1, 2018. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  31. The Profile: Willabelle Ong”. Rose Inc. August 16, 2020. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  32. willamazing. "I don't usually wear blue on my eyes but when I do..". Instagram. August 6, 2020. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  33. Tai, Hayley. “The Truth Behind Willabelle Ong’s Insta-Perfect Life”. Her World. February 1, 2019. Accessed on 21 September 2020.
  34. Herworldplus.com. “Be The Ultimate You: Self-Confidence Tips From Singapore Writer Willabelle Ong”. Her World. October 3, 2016. Accessed on 21 September 2020.