Mae Tan

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Mae Tan (born 31 May 1994) is a Singaporean socialite and fashion influencer. She is recognised for starring in the Netflix original reality television series, Singapore Social (2019). Mae is also the creative consultant at the multi-label boutique, Surrender. As of June 2020, she has over 108,000 followers on Instagram.

Mae Tan
Mae Tan Marxmae.png
Born31 May 1994
Alma materKuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School

Background

Early life & family

Mae’s father is the multi-millionaire, Dave Tan who owns the luxury watch brand, Richard Mille in Asia.[1][2] Her mother, Janet Toh is a homemaker. Mae has two brothers, Bryan Tan (b. 1990) and Cleve Tan (b.1996).[3][4] In an interview with Singapore Tatler that was published in May 2019, Mae shared that her family was not affluent when she was growing up. She says:

“When I was a child, my family wasn’t wealthy. I grew up in Pasir Ris, hung out with ah bengs at the void decks. I saved up pocket money to buy those flag erasers. I drew dolls on erasers cos (sic) I couldn’t afford them, and built my dollhouse from paper.”[5]

Education

Mae attended Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School and graduated in 2012.[6] In 2014, she enrolled in LASALLE College of the Arts to study fashion but only completed the first year of the course.[7][8] As of 2020, Mae plans to study fashion business management at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.[9][10][11]

Fashion

 
Mae as pictured in L'officiel Singapore's June/July 2019 issue. Photo credit to L'officiel Singapore.

At 22 years old, Mae was named one of Singapore’s Most Stylish Women of 2016 by Harper’s Bazaar.[12] She has been featured in prominent fashion magazines like Her World and L'officiel.[13][14]

Influencer

Upon graduating from secondary school, Mae started a professional blog where she posted make-up tutorials, product reviews and fashion advertorials.[15] She was active on her blog, reportedly uploading once a week before switching platforms to Instagram.[16] Since learning of fast-fashion's environmental impact in 2018, Mae identifies as an eco-conscious fashion influencer.[17][18][19] In an interview with Her World that was published in June 2020, Mae explained:

“I’ve come to realise that as a fashion consumer, the more I consume for instant gratification, the greater the negative impact I have on the environment.”[20]

Mae advocates for circular fashion and volunteers with the non-profit organisation, Zero Waste Singapore.[21]

Surrender - Creative consultant (2018 - present)

As of June 2020, Mae is the creative consultant at the multi-label boutique, Surrender.[22][23] She started working at Surrender in her late teens as a sales assistant.[24][25] In 2013, D’League, a distribution company owned by her father, acquired Surrender.[26] Mae was then assigned the sales executive position, eventually becoming the boutique's creative consultant in February 2018.[27] Mae was involved in securing Surrender's place as the first independent local boutique to host a Louis Vuitton pop-up store.[28]

Television

 
In 2019, Mae (top right) was one of the stars of the Netflix Original series, Singapore Social.

Over the years, Mae has gained some experience in show business having been cast in several productions.

Singapore Social - Cast (2019)

Mae is one of the main cast members of Singapore Social (2019), a Netflix reality television series about life in Singapore through the lens of six Singaporeans. The show premiered on 22 November 2019 and has only one season as of June 2020.[29] Following its debut, the show received criticism for supposedly misrepresenting the lives of Singaporeans. The cast also garnered negative attention for being "privileged" and "entitled".[30] Mae gave her thoughts about the backlash in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar that was published in December 2019. She says:

“The show is not meant to reflect Singapore as a whole but our (the cast) lives and that’s what it did.”[31]

Travel shows - Host (2013 & 2015)

In 2013, Mae hosted a reality travel series documenting her two-month stay at a backpacker’s hostel in South Korea.[32] She then went on to co-host Wondernesia (2015), a travel show produced by Discovery Networks Asia Pacific.[33]

Year Channel Show Refs.
2015 TLC Wondernesia [34][35]
2013 Channel M Miss Korea: I’m Mae [36]

Collaborations

Vestiaire Collective Wardrobe Reality Check Challenge (2020)

In April 2020, Mae collaborated with the online luxury resale platform, Vestiaire Collective to launch its Wardrobe Reality Check Challenge.[37] Public figures such as Lily Cole, Arizona Muse, Cara G Mcllroy, and Steph Step were the other faces spearheading the challenge.[38] For the challenge, contestants were tasked to re-evaluate their wardrobes and select clothing articles to sell on the platform.[39] Mae selected over 30 items from her wardrobe and the proceeds from her sales went to Red Cross Singapore to support their COVID-19 relief efforts.[40]

CASIO G-SHOCK We the Gs (2018)

In 2018, Mae was involved in CASIO G-SHOCK’s 35th-anniversary campaign, We the Gs.[41][42] Alongside Singaporean rapper ShiGGa Shay and the local graffiti artist, Clogtwo, Mae was a representative for the campaign.[43][44]

References/ Citations

  1. Seah, Jaclynn. “Crazy Rich Asians: The Real Lives of Singapore’s Elite”. culture trip. November 22, 2018. Accessed on 16 June 2020.
  2. Chen-Cordeiro, Daphne. “Tatler Scions In New York City: Mae Tan and Twins Brandon and Julien Leo”. Singapore Tatler. July 1, 2019. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  3. Chia, Stacey and Lim, Leslie Kay. “Style Stars”. The Straits Times. January 5, 2015. Accessed on 17 June 2020. Retrieved from AsiaOne.
  4. Ho, Guo Xiong. “Fashion It Girl Mae Tan’s Guilty Pleasure? Take A Guess”. Her World. November 23, 2018. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  5. Chen-Cordeiro, Daphne and Lee, Elizabeth. “Meet The Tatler Scions: Mae Tan, Carmen Ow And Rebecca Eu”. Singapore Tatler. May 7, 2019. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  6. Chia, Stacey., Lim, Leslie Kay. “Style Stars”. The Straits Times. January 5, 2015. Accessed on 17 June 2020. Retrieved from AsiaOne.
  7. Chen-Cordeiro, Daphne and Lee, Elizabeth. “Meet The Tatler Scions: Mae Tan, Carmen Ow And Rebecca Eu”. Singapore Tatler. May 7, 2019. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  8. Mae Tan. “Education”. LinkedIn. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  9. Cheong, Wayne. “Talking to Mae Tan on finding herself; how to influence people for good and taking that first step to feel small”. Esquire Singapore. September 30, 2019. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  10. Saadan, Andrea. “Star Of Netflix’s Singapore Social Mae Tan Reveals Behind-The-Scene Details About The Show To Singapore Tatler”. Singapore Tatler. December 5, 2019. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  11. marcuzzzy. “THE Mae Tan Interview”. Medium. April 21, 2020. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  12. Tan, Pakkee. “Singapore’s Most Stylish Women 2016: Mae Tan”. Harper’s Bazaar. December 19, 2016. Accessed on 18 June 2020.
  13. Tham, Sean. “Singapore Social’s Mae Tan on being an eco-conscious fashion influencer”. Her World Online. June 13, 2020. Accessed on 15 June 2020. Retrieved from AsiaOne.
  14. Cambe, Pamelya. “Mae Tan is One of a Kind, And That’s Just the Way She Likes It”. L’OFFICIEL. April 6, 2019. Accessed on 18 June 2020.
  15. Chia, Stacey and Lim, Leslie Kay. “Style Stars”. The Straits Times. January 5, 2015. Accessed on 17 June 2020. Retrieved from AsiaOne.
  16. Ibid.
  17. Tham, Sean. “Singapore Social’s Mae Tan on being an eco-conscious fashion influencer”. Her World Online. June 13, 2020. Accessed on 15 June 2020. Retrieved from AsiaOne.
  18. Suarey, Adine. “Fashion influencer Mae Tan on being eco-conscious”. The Stuffpost. June 5, 2020. Accessed on 18 June 2020.
  19. Tan, Celine. “This Local Fashion Influencer Is Doing A Wardrobe Reality Check & Selling Luxe Pieces To Support Covid-19 Relief Efforts”. 8 Days. April 30, 2020. Accessed on 17 June 2020. Retrieved from TodayOnline.
  20. Tham, Sean. “Singapore Social’s Mae Tan on being an eco-conscious fashion influencer”. Her World Online. June 13, 2020. Accessed on 15 June 2020. Retrieved from AsiaOne.
  21. Tham, Sean. "Mae Tan: It’s Possible To Be Fashionable And Eco-Conscious". CLEO Singapore. June 15, 2020. Accessed on 19 June 2020.
  22. Welcome to the ‘Wardrobe Reality Check’ Challenge”. Vestiaire Collective. Accessed on 18 June 2020.
  23. Mae Tan. “Experience”. LinkedIn. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  24. Chen-Cordeiro, Daphne. “Tatler Scions In New York City: Mae Tan and Twins Brandon and Julien Leo”. Singapore Tatler. July 1, 2019. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  25. La Torre, Vincenzo. “The store that brought ‘real fashion’ to Singapore: influencer Mae Tan on Surrender, and her love of menswear”. South China Morning Post. June 26, 2018. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  26. Chen-Cordeiro, Daphne. “Tatler Scions In New York City: Mae Tan and Twins Brandon and Julien Leo”. Singapore Tatler. July 1, 2019. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  27. Mae Tan. “Experience”. LinkedIn. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  28. Chen-Cordeiro, Daphne. “Tatler Scions In New York City: Mae Tan and Twins Brandon and Julien Leo”. Singapore Tatler. July 1, 2019. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  29. Saadan, Andrea. “Star Of Netflix’s Singapore Social Mae Tan Reveals Behind-The-Scene Details About The Show To Singapore Tatler”. Singapore Tatler. December 5, 2019. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  30. Lee, Jan. “MAE TAN REVEALS HOW SINGAPORE SOCIAL HAS CHANGED HER LIFE”. Harper’s Bazaar. December 12, 2019. Accessed on 15 June 2020.
  31. Lee, Jan. “MAE TAN REVEALS HOW SINGAPORE SOCIAL HAS CHANGED HER LIFE”. Harper’s Bazaar. December 12, 2019. Accessed on 15 June 2020.
  32. Yeoh, Wee Teck. “‘I’m a little like a chameleon’”. The New Paper. February 6, 2016. Accessed on 17 June 2020. Retrieved from AsiaOne.
  33. Chen-Cordeiro, Daphne and Lee, Elizabeth. “Meet The Tatler Scions: Mae Tan, Carmen Ow And Rebecca Eu”. Singapore Tatler. May 7, 2019. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  34. Wondernesia”. IMDb. Accessed on 18 June 2020.
  35. TLC Southeast Asia. "EP12 Mae's Vlog: Mae Manta". YouTube. April 28, 2016. Accessed on 19 June 2020.
  36. nhuan tong duc. "Miss Korea I’m mae EP12 Good bye Mae!!". YouTube. February 27, 2014. Accessed on 19 June 2020.
  37. Pek, Chloe. "Shop Mae Tan’s Wardrobe To Support Covid-19 Relief Efforts". Singapore Tatler. April 17, 2020. Accessed on 19 June 2020.
  38. Welcome to the ‘Wardrobe Reality Check’ Challenge”. Vestiaire Collective. Accessed on 18 June 2020.
  39. Tham, Sean. “Singapore Social’s Mae Tan on being an eco-conscious fashion influencer”. Her World Online. June 13, 2020. Accessed on 15 June 2020. Retrieved from AsiaOne.
  40. Tan, Celine. “This Local Fashion Influencer Is Doing A Wardrobe Reality Check & Selling Luxe Pieces To Support Covid-19 Relief Efforts”. 8 Days. April 30, 2020. Accessed on 17 June 2020. Retrieved from TodayOnline.
  41. CASIO G-SHOCK. Facebook. October 15, 2018. Accessed on 18 June 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=244293679573796
  42. Surrender’s Mae Tan Talks About Singapore’s Rapid Growth in Luxury Streetwear”. HYPEBEAST. October 15, 2018. Accessed on 18 June 2020.
  43. Ho, Guo Xiong. “Fashion It Girl Mae Tan’s Guilty Pleasure? Take A Guess”. Her World. November 23, 2018. Accessed on 17 June 2020.
  44. Wong, Alvin. “Meet The Man Who Designs Your Casio G-Shocks”. CROWN. December 10, 2018. Accessed on 18 June 2020.