If you’re a fashion aficianado, chances are you have heard of Singaporean brand, Love, Bonito. Established in 2010, the label has centred their ethos around championing Asian women with of-the-moment designs, combining form and function with exceptional ease. Fast forward to present day and Love, Bonito is the largest direct-to-consumer womenswear brand in Southeast Asia. It’s no wonder then that they have revamped to celebrate and encapsulate a revolutionary journey, from the brand’s dedication to becoming a port-of-call for Asian women to abolishing outdated archetypes.
A brand new look
Launching this change are a few pivotal transformations. Ardent fans can expect a heart-shaped “LB” logo, coupled with an updated colour palette, from its recognisable peach hue to a rich brown, vibrant pink and bold red. With this, comes the coining of the term “Ready-to-live”, a play on “ready-to-wear”, which embodies Love, Bonito’s essence of designing pieces for real women.
Consisting of flattering designs, complementary tones and failproof fits, the brand has pulled from its own expertise to come up with three anchor lines: Signatures (contemporary and accessible looks that span from feminine silhouettes to power suiting), Staples (tried-and-tested and reliable wardrobe must-haves) as well as capsule collections. Dropping today, Signatures will be Love, Bonito’s newest offering, with 30 designs as well as functional elements incorporated for work, weekends and beyond. The designs also amplify Ready-to-live features such as bloat-friendly, crease-ease, padded busts and instant length, amongst others.
Meet the women of Love, Bonito
Fronting this launch is a group of powerful women who have purposeful stories of their own. Tapping on Korean-American actress Arden Cho, Malaysian musician Yuna, American author and artist Chanel Miller, as well as Singaporean-American mother-daughter content creator duo Gym Tan and Mya Rose Miller, Love, Bonito features a bevy of new faces who amplify their core message of authenticity, strength and versatility.
“This milestone represents a heartfelt tribute to our Asian women community,” shares co-founder of Love, Bonito, Rachel Lim. “Through our rebrand, we honour our rich Asian heritage and challenge stereotypes surrounding Asian women. This evolution extends to our apparel design, where we prioritise not only perfecting the Asian fit but also ensuring each piece is meticulously crafted for functionality, confidence, and versatility. From school drop-offs to the boardroom and date nights, our designs empower women to embrace every aspect of their lives with style and grace.”
So what exactly does this empowerment look like? Below, Arden, Yuna, Chanel, Gym and Mya delve into their collaboration with Love, Bonito, Asian representation, and embracing their imperfections—while decked out in some of their favourite Love, Bonito pieces.
Arden Cho, actress and producer
You may know actress, singer, producer, and entrepreneur Arden Cho from her high-powered role in Netflix’s original series, Partner Track, where she plays the role of lawyer Ingrid Yun. Starring in the real-life adaptation of Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, the 38-year-old actress has become a household name in Hollywood. Having grown up in a small town in Texas, however, Arden reflects on an arduous journey to where she is today and dreams of an equitable entertainment industry for Asian-American women.
“My entire career has been obstacles, and I’ve heard ‘no’ more times than I can count. But I’ve committed my career to helping change the way people see Asians. They have to see us in stories to know we exist and that we belong,” she shares. “I will keep fighting the good fight for our stories to be told, our faces to be seen, and of course, because I love acting and telling stories, I suppose it gives me a creative outlet to deal with all the heartache and the challenges of life.”
Channeling back-to-boardroom style (à la Ingrid Yun, of course), put together a look inspired by Arden and sport a tone-on-tone ensemble that’s both comfortable for long days yet refined for impromptu meetings with the Ling belted tailored waistcoat, Arden tweed jacket, and Yuna tailored high-rise trousers. Our favourite part of this ensemble? The crease-ease make of both the waistcoat and jacket that cements it as a seamless option for professional women.
Yuna, musician and artist
A self-taught singer-songwriter, Malaysian musician and artist Yuna first exploded onto the Indie music scene as just a teenager. Now 38-years-old and with a legion of fans, the R&B singer has collaborated with the likes of industry powerhouses such as Pharrell and Usher. Having graced the cover of Vogue Singapore in 2020, she’s quickly become a fashion icon in her own right, inspiring followers with her Rolodex of striking modest looks. Most recently, she released her album, Y5.
“It’s safe to say that as an Asian Muslim woman you have to work twice as hard to get your work noticed, and it shouldn’t be that way. I always believed I was a good songwriter and I just kept going,” she shares. “When I first started my career in the US I wasn’t sure what I was doing, and it was very lonely for me because culturally I am set in my ways and I wasn’t doing all the Hollywood stuff, so I thought my career would be short-lived. But it all worked out in the end. I’m very proud to say I’m still the same me, with the same set of Asian values. I just upgraded myself professionally.”
Acing comfort and impact, emulate Yuna’s look for the perfect ensemble that will take you from journey to destination—or in her case, from studio to stage. Sporting the Rachel ruched-ready blazer and Ivy satin button down shirt, Yuna’s look is the perfect blend of creative and classic. This combination garners extra points for its ready-to-move features (details that make being active and on the go an easy feat) and pockets for the multi-taskers amongst us.
Gym Tan and Mya Rose Miller, content creators
Mother-daughter content creator duo Gym Tan, 62 and Mya Rose Miller, 24, have taken social media by storm in recent years. Singapore-born Gym, who is a former fashion executive turned digital personality, has captivated followers with her chic yet relatable ensembles. Championing the message that style, grace and beauty can exist at any age, Gym co-creates looks with her daughter, Mya. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Mya boasts a career in luxury fashion PR. Together, Gym and Mya have carved out a niche for enduring and timeless style.
“Our culture and the way many of us are raised make it seem like we have to know our entire life trajectory as soon as we’re born. But as we’ve gotten older we’ve seen how many of our plans fell through and to expect the unexpected. If you told us we’d be a mother-daughter social media duo just three years ago, or that I would be starting an entirely new career in my ’60s, we would not have believed you,” muses Gym. “There is no way to prepare for all of life’s moments. The sooner we accept this, the sooner we are able to embrace them fully whether it be happy, sad, exciting, hurtful or something in between.”
Get ready for an evening out on the town or date night with friends (and twin with Gym) in the sophisticated yet statement Simone pleated padded twist back jumpsuit. For a balmier option that’s suited for the tropics, opt for Mya’s Dez pleated boat neck crop top and the Gym pleated column midi skirt combination in a refreshing dusty citron hue.
Chanel Miller, author
Anh pleated straight leg pants. Courtesy of Love, Bonito
In 2015, Chanel Miller was sexually assaulted on the campus of Stanford University. Four years later, she published the New York Times bestseller, ‘Know My Name’, accounting the trauma she endured and speaking on the failure of the criminal justice system. Fast forward to today, the author and artist has transformed stigmas and preconceived notions surrounding sexual assault. Having reclaimed her narrative, she channels her newfound spark through art.
Spend the day at the museums in a carefree fit which consists of the Natalia scoop neck fitted top in a refreshing olive and pair it with the easy-to-wear yet sleek Anh pleated straight leg pants. While the top offers support through its padded and body-skimming make, the pants’ plisse material combines comfort and style with ease.
Below, browse Love, Bonito’s curation of the best pieces to get now.
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Dez pleated boat neck crop top and Gym pleated column midi skirt
From 15 to 24 March, visit Love, Bonito’s pop-up, ‘The House of Love, Bonito,’ and explore a range of women-led activities, including yoga, styling, and more, alongside the Signatures collection, interactive game booths as well as a guest appearance from Arden Cho.
