In October 2026, Vogue Singapore celebrated its sixth anniversary with the launch of Vogue Living, an editorial arm dedicated to interrogating the spaces where architecture, interiors and fashion meld and meet. As part of its pilot edition, we held our inaugural Vogue Living Conversations at National Gallery Singapore, a fruitful day of insightful panel discussions that opened the stage to a myriad of veteran industry speakers.
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Presented by luxury Italian furniture brand Molteni&C and moderated by Andrea Savage, co-founder, CEO and creative director of A Life By Design, ‘The Sanctuary Within’ turned the audience’s attention to the meaning of ‘sanctuary’ in our modern age. Panelists included Alessandro Ficco, managing director, Molteni Group, APAC; Minako Tanaka, design director at HBA Residential; Mikael Teh, founder, Monocot Studio; and Edmund Ho, lead strategist of Sol Luminaire.
Savage kickstarted the panel off by opening the floor to the audience, asking them what home means to them—whether it’s a sanctuary by means of shutting off the outside world, or a way to celebrate community and shared human connection. She touched on the multitude of ways one can shape the home, from techniques like layering lights, building spaces that are flexible enough to adapt to changes throughout the day and curating furniture to complement a homeowner’s desire for intimacy.
Naturally, the experts had plenty to offer the conversation. After all, designers are hired for their curatorial skills, their expertise, judgment and input. In Ficco’s words: “We are an extension of what the client wants.” Even if the client thinks they know what they want, however, Ho cautioned: “You can learn all you want, but that’s where the designer comes in. What clients want isn’t always what they need.” Unsurprisingly, listening skills are important when it comes to design, as noted by Tanaka. “Listening is key. That’s where we’re tasked to challenge our clients. They don’t want us to simply be the executor of their wants.”
