WHO Britain-born Susannah Jaffer, 30, is a former magazine editor turned media and e-commerce entrepreneur who is behind home-grown retail and media platform Zerrin. She has lived in Singapore for almost a decade.
Founded in 2017 as an online marketplace, Zerrin carries about 50 sustainable and ethically conscious fashion, beauty and jewellery brands. It recently opened a permanent physical store at Marina One, after three years of pop-ups.
"In late June, we reopened The Lounge, Zerrin's concept store at The Social Space cafe in Marina One. It's been a roller-coaster ride with the wave of heightened alerts, but it's still been a great run for us and the indie labels we carry from South-east Asia.
We just did another brand rotation, so we have three to four new designers in store from Indonesia, Singapore and Myanmar.
We've also recently relaunched Zerrin talks, a (currently online) series that brings together thought leaders, brands and community voices to discuss fresh perspectives and issues influencing sustainability in fashion.
At the risk of sounding like a workaholic, my weekends are usually spent in the store or on a shoot. I'm also a photographer and consultant through Zerrin Studio, where I work with purpose-driven companies on creative projects.
Saturdays and Sundays tend to be our busiest days, so I may be doing anything from hosting a personal styling session to being on location with a crew shooting for a brand's next lookbook.
If I'm in the store, I usually pop downstairs to The Social Space to grab a slice of banana bread or a smoothie bowl.
Weekend evenings are when I meet my friends. We either go out for dinner - my favourite spot is Robertson Quay because of the options and ambience - or cook at a friend's house.
After work on Sundays, I spend time with my husband and dog - going for a long walk at Kent Ridge Park or making dinner at home while catching up on a television series. It's also when I catch up with family and friends in Britain.
I look forward to 'me' time on Monday, which is usually my day off to take things slower and catch up on errands or hobbies.''
