#freedomtowork

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How TDZ PRO Redefines Remote Work and Workflow Efficiency

Discover how TDZ PRO is setting a new standard for remote productivity and business structure, far beyond the typical work-from-home routine

Work shouldn’t be location-dependent. TDZ PRO is proof.

[amirbouchard]

Ashkan Rajaee Speaks Out: Is Apple Killing the Future of Work?

RemotePreneurs Take Note. Why Ashkan Rajaee Thinks Apple’s 2025 Push to Reinstate Office Culture Could Be a Step Backward

Remote work isn’t a trend. It’s a mindset.

[tobylokii]

What Ashkan Rajaee Taught Me About Remote Work, Structure, and Focus

How a mobile office in the desert reshaped my view of remote work, focus, and leadership through simplicity and clarity.

Who needs a corner office when you’ve got a mountain view.

[matterprints]

Freedom To Work: Xindi Siau

Xindi Siau is a professional fashion stylist and full time mom to two special dogs with an affinity for all things creative, whether it be creating artistic pieces or running a mini catering business. Before this series, Xindi had good-naturedly loaned her clothes to us for our past photoshoots. Another gesture that emanated her gracious nature occurred during our time with her. As it began to rain during our session, we rushed over to cover her with an umbrella but she waved it off and smiled, saying that it wasn’t necessary because she didn’t want it to get in the way of our pictures. Moments like this conveyed her kindness and sophisticated charm. In between the rain and shine of our shoot, we asked Xindi to share about her career and the path she took to get where she is.

Monochrome Allure | Walk the edge by matching your Sideswept Dhoti + Hairline with a sultry crop top, metallic chain necklace, silver glitter heels, and a fire red lip. Then keep it tailored with a sleek black blazer. 

It takes 10 artisan employment days to create the Sideswept Dhoti + Hairline.

What is the best career advice you would offer to someone who wants to pursue their dream job?

Love what you do. I feel like it’s very old school for me to say so but there’s so much truth in it. Love what you do so that you don’t work a single day of your life. Your career can occupy so much of your time and space and it’s vital that you are passionate about what you do for a living. Love what you do so that you can go into your workplace with passion ready to fight whatever battles come your way.

Love what you do so that you don’t work a single day of your life.

Funky Flair | Align the cool and warm tones in your Lounge Lunghi + Philippines Teal with a navy and gold colour scheme; in your blazer, necklace, bangles, and even stilettos. Block out the dual tones with a simple white top.

25 artisan employment days are needed to create the Lounge Lunghi + Philippines Teal.

What was your first job?

My first job was similar to what I currently do. For two years, I was responsible for costume designs on TV in Mediacorp. Even though it was an honoured experience, it wasn’t what I wanted to do. Afterwards, I went into freelancing for editorials and commercials.

Elegant Edge | Slick your hair back in a bun and add an air of mystery to your Classic Jumpsuit + Rana with a dainty layered back necklace. Polish it up with a white cape blazer, textured heels, and a powerful red lip. The Classic Jumpsuit + Rana is created within 10 artisan employment days.

What is your dream job?

What I’m doing right now is an extension of my dream job in a manner of speaking. I always knew that I wanted to be in the fashion industry. Styling was something that I chose as a stepping stone into that and it stuck for the next 12-13 years. In a parallel universe, if I wasn’t doing what I’m doing now, then I would be a travel and food writer.

Freedom To Work is a series featuring powerful women who go against the grain by pursuing their creative interests in a culture of tradition and conventionality. We reached out to 4 people in our #MATTERtribe recognized for their confident, vibrant styles, and uncanny ability to mix pieces in surprising combinations. They chose their favourites from our collection and got ready for work and play.

An integral component of our mission here is working with artisans who carry the skills of the generations before them. It is in this partnership that we hope they find their freedom to work; to continue the narrative of their heritage and sustain the craft of their community.

In the same light, we selected these women because in a culture of tradition and conventionality, they go against the grain by pursuing their creative interests and we want to celebrate their Freedom To Work. Each of them share insights into their own lives and work experience as they pave the way for their own legacies to flourish.

[matterprints]

Freedom To Work: Evon Chng

Evon Chng is a freelance fashion stylist with a sense of style that's part misfit part chic, and a penchant for putting pen to paper. A detail that stayed with us in our time together was her positivity, and accommodating inclination. The sun came out glaring as we got ready for our first shoot, to which Evon then told us that her eyes were extremely sensitive to the light, instead of asking us to change locations she went inside to grab her sunglasses - and that was that. Even when the morning rain was dripping from the rooftop ledges onto her face, she just laughed it off, joked about how she hoped her makeup wasn’t ruined, and continued on. To top it off, we realized later it was Evon’s birthday and despite her whirlwind of an afternoon with packed schedules and celebration plans, she still made the time for this shoot. In between the chaos of her day, we sat down with her as she shared more about her careers in the past and how that has influenced her career now. 

Grunge Glamour | Keep your Easy Dhoti + Indus Arrow Red casual with black accents in your choker, blouse, and loafer sandals. Add some attitude by wearing your top off the shoulder, stacking up on your silver accessories, and finish it off with tinted sunglasses. 

13 artisan employment days are required to create the Easy Dhoti + Indus Arrow Red. 

What is the best career advice you would offer to someone who wants to pursue their dream job?

I heard a quote once from a movie about an astronaut and it’s stayed with me since: if you don’t believe in yourself, who will? It’s a mantra I carry with me daily and it serves as an encouragement for myself. In the industry I work in, teamwork is such a core essential element. Your mood and the energy you bring to the team affects those around you. With that in mind, I strive for positivity. I believe in myself, in my team, and I will root for those around me. It’s vital that you do something that you are good at, focus on that and refine your skills. There’s a lot of experts out there but who you are and what you can do is unique to you and you alone. For me, writing is something I like but styling is something that I’m good at and so I choose to pursue styling while still writing on the side as a hobby.

If you don’t believe in yourself, who will?

Deviant Sophistication | Flirt up your Sideswept Dhoti + Handloom Graph Grey with a red cropped bustier top, black choker, and spotlight earrings. Come full circle with the black details by putting on your comfiest strappy sandals. 

The Sideswept Dhoti + Handloom Graph Grey takes 10 artisan employment days to be completed.

What was your first job?

I studied mass communication and my first job was an assistant director. I left shortly after 2 weeks there because I wanted to be a writer. I took an an internship in a production company that created media content for TV. After my 2nd day on the job I was already unhappy with what I was doing, but the people I worked under were so kind that I didn’t want to leave. Through that internship, I met a few people who then asked me to come and style their shoots. One thing led to another and I became a fashion assistant. However, writing was still on my radar and still is something I find great passion in.

Glitz Appeal | Stay understated with monochrome loafer sandals and accessories, and let the Modern Monpe + Chambray Black shine with a bedazzled metallic sweater. 

It takes 10 artisan employment days to create the Modern Monpe + Chambray Black.

What is your dream job?

When I was younger, I would spend a lot of time flipping through magazines, opening fake shops and selling my sibling’s things. All this accumulated and funnelled towards my desire to work in the fashion industry but logic stopped me along the way. As of now, my dream job is to be my own boss. Currently I’m freelancing and I’ll start working at L’officiel shortly, but I’m still persistent in my goal to become my own boss in the future.

Freedom To Work is a series featuring powerful women who go against the grain by pursuing their creative interests in a culture of tradition and conventionality. We reached out to 4 people in our #MATTERtribe recognized for their confident, vibrant styles, and uncanny ability to mix pieces in surprising combinations. They chose their favourites from our collection and got ready for work and play.

An integral component of our mission here is working with artisans who carry the skills of the generations before them. It is in this partnership that we hope they find their freedom to work; to continue the narrative of their heritage and sustain the craft of their community.

In the same light, we selected these women because in a culture of tradition and conventionality, they go against the grain by pursuing their creative interests and we want to celebrate their Freedom To Work. Each of them share insights into their own lives and work experience as they pave the way for their own legacies to flourish.

[matterprints]

Freedom To Work: Aarika Lee

Aarika Lee wears many hats, or in her case, many scarves: day time Marketing Director and Copywriter at Elementary Co, night time resident artist at The Mad Men Attic Bar, and full time mother, wife, and full-fledged stylish figure. Aarika’s colourful sense of style is an open reflection of who she is: exuberant and radiant. Her cheerful spirit is contagious and just by being around her brought a smile to our faces. As she was getting ready, her attention turned to Hobo, our office dog, she set aside her accessories to kneel down beside him and stayed that way for minutes on just resting her head to his. Then halfway through our shoot in the rain, we looked behind to see her snacking on almonds and cashews that she pocketed in her Chanel bag. It was endearing gestures like this that made our time with Aarika so memorable. In between our shoots, we asked Aarika to share with us about the careers she’s had and how it brought her to where she is now.

Picasso Dream | Connect the dots in your Modern Monpe + Mystic Mountain with red details in your bag and heels. Mirror the complexity of the motifs on your pants with a textured top, and for an extra touch, sling the Jamdani Eksa White Scarf over your waist as a makeshift belt.

It takes 22 artisan employment days to create the Modern Monpe + Mystic Mountain.

What is the best career advice you would offer to someone who wants to pursue their dream job?

I once met someone who had it all - she was a good wife, mum to three children, and she had a successful career leading her own business. Some people say you can’t have it all but seeing her, and seeing more people like her has really proven otherwise for me. You can do it too. The reality is that there will be negativity and obstacles along the way, and there will be days where more things fall apart than they do come together - but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. You really can have it all. Stick to your guns, know what you want and know that you can have it. At the heart of it all, you can’t do it alone. People need people, and the support you need to keep going will come from those around you.

Stick to your guns, know what you want, and know that you can have it. 

Sassy Elegance | Play up the subtlety of your Side Lunghi + Falcon Footprint with accessories that beg to be in the spotlight, like a pair of silver sneakers and a quirky colourful bag. Balance it out with a simple white top wrap it all together with the Akin Amulet Scarf.

The Side Lunghi + Falcon Footprint requires 10 artisan employment days to be completed.

What was your first job?

Like Charmaine, my first job was at the Italian Restaurant waiting tables. Afterwards, I flirted with the idea of having a career in music and sang at Wala Wala Cafe Bar. Then I went to school and began working at Ogilvy. At the beginning of my time there I thought to myself, this is it, I found my dream job. But there was a lot more politics involved than I had expected and in the end I didn’t see myself thriving in a company like that. With that, I jumped into the deep end and pursued music full time for about 4-6 years.

Metallic Chic | Break all the rules and layer on your Sideswept Dhoti + Indigo with a houndstooth textured top, chunky pearl necklace, and gold strappy ribbon sandals. Then keep it classic with a polished white kimono and black bag. 

10 artisan employment days are needed to create the Sideswept Dhoti + Indigo.

What is your dream job?

My dream job is exactly what I have now. After I had Zola, my priorities shifted and I didn’t want to work nights any longer. It was impeccable timing as well because those around me had also wanted to start their own family and our priorities all aligned together, which led to the start of us taking a step into our own venture. We started our own re-branding company, a result of a collective effort to come together and offer our services. This gave me the flexibility I wanted; I don’t have to come in every day, and I get to spend time with my children. We work with amazing clients across fashion and beauty, and I even get to travel. On top of that, I work with my best friend. There’s 14 of us in the company, with a team that’s more concentrated everyone is naturally close and I really appreciate the kind of office culture that is built from that foundation. There’s not a day where I dread going into the office.

Freedom To Work is a series featuring powerful women who go against the grain by pursuing their creative interests in a culture of tradition and conventionality. We reached out to 4 people in our #MATTERtribe recognized for their confident, vibrant styles, and uncanny ability to mix pieces in surprising combinations. They chose their favourites from our collection and got ready for work and play.

An integral component of our mission here is working with artisans who carry the skills of the generations before them. It is in this partnership that we hope they find their freedom to work; to continue the narrative of their heritage and sustain the craft of their community.

In the same light, we selected these women because in a culture of tradition and conventionality, they go against the grain by pursuing their creative interests and we want to celebrate their Freedom To Work. Each of them share insights into their own lives and work experience as they pave the way for their own legacies to flourish.

[matterprints]

Freedom To Work: Charmaine Seah

Freedom To Work is a series featuring powerful women who go against the grain by pursuing their creative interests in a culture of tradition and conventionality. We reached out to 4 people in our #MATTERtribe recognized for their confident, vibrant styles, and uncanny ability to mix pieces in surprising combinations. They chose their favourites from our collection and got ready for work and play.

An integral component of our mission here is working with artisans who carry the skills of the generations before them. It is in this partnership that we hope they find their freedom to work; to continue the narrative of their heritage and sustain the craft of their community. 

In the same light, we selected these women because in a culture of tradition and conventionality, they go against the grain by pursuing their creative interests and we want to celebrate their Freedom To Work. Each of them share insights into their own lives and work experience as they pave the way for their own legacies to flourish.

Charmaine Seah does many things and she does them well, she is the Co-Founder and Managing Director at Elementary Co, wife, mother, and through and through fashion icon. When we first met Charmaine, her passionate and embracing disposition immediately made us feel at ease around her, the way you do when you are with a friend. She carries elegance and it was emanated in the way she approached everything with great meticulousness. It was in the way she neatly packed her jewelry individually in ziplock bags, how she brought more than enough shoes (just in case), and the way she poised herself as she placed the finishing touches on each of her outfits, whether it was in the detail of a pair of pearl earrings or the addition of a bold red lip. Particulars that would naturally go unnoticed by many, yet remained significant to her. We sat down with her as she shared with us about the trajectories in her life that led her to pursue her dream job.

Eclectic Grace | Compliment the playful prints of the Lounge Lunghi + Mountain Spirit with a fitted blue knit top. Wear your favourite black heels and a polished red clutch to add a refined touch.

It requires 15 artisan employment days to create the Lounge Lunghi + Mountain Spirit.

What is the best career advice you would offer to someone who wants to pursue their dream job?

My dad has worked in the same company for 37 years and a piece of advice he shared with me is that people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care. This has influenced me significantly and it’s valuable words that I share with my brother as well. It’s what anchors me, and it’s a reminder to devote myself fully to all that I do. Pouring passion into all that you do makes a difference, I truly believe that.

People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.

Modern Disco | Do as the arrow motifs do in your Sideswept Dhoti + Zalya and sharpen your look with a simple top, longline vest, and decadent pearl earrings. Interrupt the white with a loud clutch and a pair of statement shoes.

It takes 10 artisan employment days to create the Sideswept Dhoti + Zalya. 

What was your first job?

I went to Temasek Poly for design and during my time there I was a part time waitress at an Italian Restaurant. My main motivation then was just to earn enough money so I could go shopping and clubbing. However, it quickly unravelled to be an exceptional experience for me. I loved going into work because the environment was always welcoming and bustling with energy. I could eat good food, chat with the customers, my bosses were supportive, and working at there shaped my view of what an ideal work culture should look like. I also used to work at Universal Studios for 5 years and loved how much joy it brought me.

Smart Sophistication | Accent your All Day Jumpsuit + Kirana with bold details: in your lipstick, stilettos and even earrings. Go beyond that and flatter the black and red themes with a gold chain bracelet.

The All Day Jumpsuit + Kirana is created within 10 artisan employment days.

What is your dream job?

I have it now! I started a business with my brother, my best friend, and my husband. A lot of people disagree with this, you know how the saying goes “don’t mix business and pleasure”, but I stand by our decision still. I’m proud of what we do and I believe that we have good chemistry, mixing business with pleasure is the very core of why we work well together. If I didn’t venture into starting my own business, then I would have gone back to what I loved and worked at theme parks.