Lights, glamour, couture: The standout looks of Icon Ball 2026

SINGAPORE – Guests drifted into the 2026 Icon Ball in glittering gowns, sweeping silhouettes and theatrical headpieces on the evening of May 26 – transforming the Resorts World Convention Centre into a fantasy film set and couture fever dream.

Hosted by Chinese-language luxury lifestyle publication Icon Singapore to mark its 21st anniversary, the 2026 edition of one of the country’s glitziest society galas unfolded under the theme Starlit Dreamscape.

“The theme is intentionally imaginative, almost cinematic, something joyful and whimsical,” said Icon editor-in-chief Sylvester Ng. He described the evening as “a reminder that creativity and imagination are not luxuries, but essential forces that uplift, transform and keep dreams alive”.

Icon Singapore’s 21st anniversary was a coming of age not only for the publication, but also for “the community of voices, makers and stories” it has chronicled over the last two decades, said Mr Ng. He added that 2026’s edition was especially centred on heritage, craftsmanship and legacy evolving across generations.

The annual gala was attended by 300 socialites, business scions, creatives and tastemakers, including local entrepreneur and socialite Kim Lim.

Rather than going all out for the evening’s whimsical dress code, Ms Lim, 35, opted for a shimmering black Dolce & Gabbana gown that she described as understated glam.

“I have to wear something that is me, but within the theme,” she told The Straits Times. She added that she often gravitates towards black outfits.

The evening featured the presentation of the Next Icon Awards 2025, which honours leaders under 40 from Singapore heritage family businesses.

The recipients were Ms Shanya Amarasuriya of luxury jeweller B.P. de Silva, Mr Alvin Choo of food manufacturer Kwong Cheong Thye and Ms Charmain Kwee of luxury automotive company Eurokars Group.

Guests were also treated to performances by Singaporean singers Alfred Sim and Tay Kewei, who performed Taiwanese singer Hebe Tian’s ballad A Little Happiness (2015), before Tay returned with solo numbers including Hong Kong singer Grace Chang’s I Want Your Love (1957).

Still, as with every Icon Ball, fashion remained the evening’s main event. The presentation of the anticipated Top 20 Best Dressed awards closed the night. Here are eight standout looks from the evening’s Top 20 Best Dressed.

Karen Ong-Tan, 46, legal consultant

Mrs Karen Ong-Tan looked like she had wandered out of an enchanted forest in a liquid-lame gown from Christian Siriano’s fall/winter 2026 collection, first shown at New York Fashion Week in January.

The runway piece, worn by Canadian supermodel Coco Rocha in February, had originally been intended for the American designer’s archive, until Mrs Ong-Tan – a long-time customer of his – managed to secure it.

“It’s like (the Queen of the Fairies) Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the colours make it feel magical,” she said of the look. She completed the outfit with a Judith Leiber frog bag, Tiffany & Co jewels and Roger Vivier shoes.

Jamie Chua, 52, socialite

Socialite Jaime Chua arrived in a white couture creation by Serbian designer Mihano Momosa. She topped off the look with Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery.

Describing the look as a garden fairy ensemble, she paired the ethereal dress with white flowers woven into her hair and butterfly accents scattered throughout the outfit, saying that the whimsical, forest-inspired look felt fitting for the evening.

White, which she called her best colour, was a natural choice for the evening.

Carol Loo, 43, entrepreneur

Ms Carol Loo wore a sculptural custom-made creation by Malaysian designer Dixon Ma – a fluid, armour-like silhouette inspired by water.

Moulded closely to her frame, the dramatic piece was surprisingly lightweight, thanks to its hollow interior. The outfit, she said, “struck the right balance between whimsy and my edgier style”.

Ms Loo, who has attended three Icon Balls, said she makes it a point each year to champion regional designers, having previously worn creations by Indonesian designer Harry Halim and a Vietnamese couturier.

Piaget earrings and watch, as well as shimmering Roger Vivier heels, complemented her look.

Ho Ching Lin, 57, doctor

Dr Ho Ching Lin arrived in a shattered-gold Frederick Lee Couture gown, its fractured metallic finish and feathered seams conjuring what she described as a touch of “chaotic magic”.

“When I stepped into this gown, I thought I came out from a dream,” she said of the look, which played on gold’s usual associations with opulence and elegance.

Designed by the Singaporean couturier specifically around the idea of high-fashion whimsy, the ensemble also featured a sculptural fascinator that Dr Ho said gave the look a sense of flight and theatricality, while adding to its joy, playfulness and imagination.

She finished off the look with a gold bar-shaped clutch by Lynn Ban Jewellery, Chanel bracelets and gold bangles of her own, saying she had simply decided to go with everything gold.

Sherry Ang, 39, entrepreneur

Ms Sherry Ang floated through the ballroom in a cloud-like Vietnamese couture gown by designer Phan Huy. Its soft silhouette was paired with real flowers woven into her hair for what she described as a fairy-like whimsical effect.

The entrepreneur said she was drawn to how the gown felt “almost weightless, like a dream”.

Botanical design studio This Humid House arranged soft-toned carnations and rare fruit imported from Taiwan into her hairstyle – with dangling fruit details to mirror the grape embellishments hanging from her Saint Laurent heels.

She accessorised the look with a Chanel necklace, Dior rings, bangles and earrings, and a Patek Philippe watch.

Wendy Long, 47, socialite

A sculptural deep-red Alaia skirt with cascading wool frills paired with a matching stretch-lace bodysuit turned Ms Wendy Long into a walking dream.

The statement skirt, from the French fashion house’s pre-fall collection, drew inspiration from late founder and designer Azzedine Alaia’s autumn/winter 2011 haute couture collection, known for its dramatic layered frills and sculptural construction.

“The fabric manipulation makes it interesting,” said Ms Long, who described herself as an Alaia girl and counts the label as her top choice for something “as iconic as the Icon Ball”.

She tied the look together with a Swarovski crystal headpiece by London-based Awon Golding Millinery.

Other accessories include a crystal Judith Leiber heart clutch, Van Cleef & Arpels rings, Boucheron earrings and a vintage Chopard watch.

Shabnam Arashan, in her 40s, lawyer

Ms Shabnam Arashan wore a heavily embellished two-piece set by Lebanon-based designer Heidi Koultura, with intricate beadwork scattered across the fabric to resemble stars against the night sky.

“It gives it a very celestial look – a little bit over the top, but for stars and the night, why not?” Ms Arashan said.

She kept the rest of the styling simple, pairing the look with Gucci heels, ear studs and a Bottega Veneta bag.

The finishing touch was the crystal-encrusted sculptural hat. Ms Arashan said she had initially debated leaving it out, before deciding it it was the cherry on top of the cake.

Lydea Tan, 39, entrepreneur

Ms Lydea Tan was dressed in Vietnamese designer Phan Huy’s pastel-toned mesh couture gown, which she said reminded her of Alice In Wonderland.

The Malaysian entrepreneur discovered the designer after he recently presented couture in the Spring/Summer 2026 Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, and was drawn to the soft, crystal-studded look of his collection.

The lightweight mesh dress was embellished with tiny crystal stones and paired with floral hair accessories, with Ms Tan describing the palette as a “warm summer feel inspired by castles and fairy tales”.

The elaborate floral headpiece, also by Phan Huy, was originally designed as earrings before her make-up artist clipped and pinned the pieces into her hair.

She completed the ensemble with a Patek Philippe watch, Valentino heels, and jewellery from Hermes, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels.