Meet Jade Griffin from Vogue Singapore

This week we sat down with Jade who works for Vogue Singapore and is a former petite model. Jade considers herself a citizen of the world but now calls Singapore home along with her daughter, Lara who just turned 4 years old. She shares her unique insights into her favourite things about Singapore, places to eat and her journey as a single mum.

Please tell us a little more about yourself…

I’m Jade Griffin, a global citizen and the sassy mum of Lara Mei. I have a passion to see beauty in the world, defining why’s to things and believe witty humor is the medicine to it all. 

Tell us more about your role at Vogue Singapore.

I support luxury brands in telling their stories through the lens of Vogue Singapore helping to drive meaningful change. 

What is your personal philosophy about sustainability when it comes to your own fashion choices?

Inspired from living in Paris- I'm all about the capsule closet that comprises few quality pieces in five colors that I can easily mix up and wear for any occasion or season. It helps with laundry coordination and saves me time on choosing my outfits every morning. This is what sustainability means to me. 

While with Lara, it’s a lot more colourful as all her clothes have been given to us as hand-me-downs from mama friends around me. I’ve never had to buy her a single piece of clothing ever and this has been a great way to be more sustainable and cost effective. Once these items are outgrown we make sure to pass it down to others too.

What are your favourite things about living in Singapore? 

From a mother’s point of view, I would say one of my favourite things is that Singapore is very safe. I know I will not have to worry about my daughter in general. Education, both public and private, is great with plenty of options to select from. The lack of pollution and abundant greenery is also reassuring to breathe in. As my mum always quotes ‘health is your wealth’. 

In addition, Singapore’s international setting is allowing Lara to experience the world through the people she meets and hearing their unique lifestyles/stories. This exposure ultimately keeps her aware and curious about the world around whilst also being one of the best ways to teach her independence and forming her own views.

Where are your favourite places to visit or eat with your daughter?

Anywhere she is paying! We like to go to the Tiong Bahru Bakery for croissants of sorts, Three Buns for a juicy burger, and Donki Donki for some takeaway sushi. We also enjoy Rumors Beach Club for some sun & sand, and their kind hospitality while at other times the Botanic Gardens just to enjoy the greenery. 

Please share your experiences on what it is like to be a single mum in Singapore.

Being a single mum is not a walk in the park anywhere you are! Though it is particularly expensive to raise children in Singapore due to high living costs, which can be overwhelming at times. However, the standard of living does make up for it and I have found ways to keep up. For example, shopping reduced to clear has become more of a sport to me than anything else. Also a big shout out to Singapore public transport which is also incredibly convenient to get around as walking with a toddler anywhere requires you to leave 30 mins before your planned departure. 

Now this is where I voice my opinion on what we could improve for Single mums and their current outlook. It would be helpful to have more incentives around for example, free legal counsels, stronger work policies/flexibilities or strategic resources that are available for when times do get tough. Life does happen and that's okay but we sometimes need a helping hand.  Ultimately actionable, solution based roadmaps for single mums with a goal for positive change isn't such a bad thing. 

What have been your go-to resources for support or community?

As a single mum who graduated university with no savings, the community and the friends I have made out of it are the ones I owe great gratitude to. I started my Single Mums Singapore Facebook group because of my personal story - to find resources/ knowledge in the community so I could essentially raise my child to become a well rounded human being. There were women from all around the world in Singapore that had donated everything and gave Lara and I more than we ever needed. Even a food business in Singapore supported my role by passing on close to expired powdered milk which is how I essentially kept Lara full at the start. All the things I had received were later resold so I could pay for more child expenses as well, a circular single mums economy indeed. 

There are plenty of stories like these I can share around my journey which inspired me to create a space for other single mums to have the same love and support as I did. A space where we could ask questions without judgment, receive and give positive support or share resources with each other. It does take a village to raise a child and I strongly believe that having the right community around, or simply shaping those communities are the way forward to making someone’s day a little brighter. 

Thank you for allowing me to share my story. You can follow my and Lara’s adventures here.