Progress, to me is watching the term ‘homosexuality’ removed from the study of deviance, is walking down any street in town and seeing girls express themselves in terms of physicality and affections for partners. These are things we glow about, and the ‘Women We Love’ gave us people to celebrate with, women who are proud of every aspect of their identity, be it in their careers or their sexuality.
Twoqueens features Kelley Cheng in our current Star Profile, recipient of the ‘Women We Love’ award and finds out the passion behind this photographer, writer, designer, publisher, lesbian, businesswoman, editor… the list goes on. She is known as the creator of local high profile design magazine, ISH, Currently Editorial & Creative Director of ISH and Page One, she has grown the magazine into a 160-page luxury design and lifestyle magazine featuring from design, architecture to fashion, lifestyle and travel. You might also have caught her many press and TV interviews before – indeed one of the Women we at Twoqueens love with pride has more than her talent to be proud of, apart from putting her works out there with ease, she puts her sexual identity with equal ease.
Hi Kelley, after all your accomplishments, which would you say is the most memorable one for you?
My latest one is always the most memorable. At the moment, it is the new bar/art gallery that I just opened. It’s a great new experience running a bar and a gallery, everything is very exciting. I like to move on and do new things all the time; holding on to one’s achievements or accomplishments will often hinder one from moving on.
Can you share with us what inspired you to start and ultimately sell ISH magazine?
My first love will always be magazine publishing as it combines all my passion – writing, photography, graphic design, and most importantly, putting things together, structuring contents. I wanted to start a magazine since I was in school. In fact I did a fanzine in my uni days and sold it for a dollar each. I went into publishing almost immediately after architecture school, I did 2 years at the now-defunct architecture magazine ID, and when the company Metropolitan Publishing closed down, I knew it was a sign that I should start out on my own, after having learnt the basics in publishing. I sold it after 3 years because I was approached by Page One to run their publishing department, which allows me to venture into book publishing in a substantial sort of way – hence it was a challenge I couldn’t resist. I couldn’t give up ish so I asked the boss to buy it so I can do both at the same time and he agreed.
Being one of the 'Women We Love' here at Twoqueens, how do you feel about the local party scene for girls?
Thanks to Irene, who should be credited for creating a party scene for the girls. There used to be nothing but Croc Rock for the girls. And there used to be absolutely nothing for girls who don’t Karaoke.
Wow, Okay, I consider myself lucky to be currently spoilt by the weekly Thursday parties at TQ. How do you feel about the local lesbian scene in general?
I don’t really know as I don’t really go the girls’ parties or bars a lot. But the overall feeling is that it is getting better, at least there are choices now – not just places to go, but girls as well. :P
There are more lesbians these days right?
Heh, I certainly hope so! Since you are the Creative Director of Page One bookstore, can you tell us if its true that bookstores are a great place to meet girls? :p
Honestly, I have not pick up any girls from any bookstores before... Maybe if I live in Nottinghill.
Would you recommend any current reads to us?
The last 2 books I read was jPod by Douglas Coupland and Orlando by Virginia Woolf. Jpod is quite hilarious, it’s about a bunch of computer geeks and how they skive their working hours again doing strange things, maybe I should just mention that there was this part that the protagonist’s mother decided to turn lesbian, but she also murdered one of her lovers she was having an affair with, so she is a bit scary. Orlando should be read by every self-respecting lesbian. It is a book that the married Woolf wrote for her lesbian lover Vita Sackville-West, whom she drew her inspiration for the book from.
Between business and designing, which do you perfer?
I like to combine both. I like to do different things.
What have you been busying yourself with recently?
Apart from my day job at Page One, I’m busy with my earlier mentioned new venture – Night & Day – bar+gallery+friends, selling alcohol and curating art shows.
Thank you Kelley, your high adrenaline and passionate achievements in the creative, design and publishing world makes it so hard to keep up with! Twoqueens wishes you all the best and extends an invite to pop by our parties at Play so we can catch up with you more. We promise that there no Karaoke at Play and we do have more lesbians in Singapore now, but this writer still believes in romanticism of meeting girls at a bookstore, perhaps we should all flock down to Page One and swap contact.. uh, intellectual exchange.
Twoqueens features Kelley Cheng in our current Star Profile, recipient of the ‘Women We Love’ award and finds out the passion behind this photographer, writer, designer, publisher, lesbian, businesswoman, editor… the list goes on. She is known as the creator of local high profile design magazine, ISH, Currently Editorial & Creative Director of ISH and Page One, she has grown the magazine into a 160-page luxury design and lifestyle magazine featuring from design, architecture to fashion, lifestyle and travel. You might also have caught her many press and TV interviews before – indeed one of the Women we at Twoqueens love with pride has more than her talent to be proud of, apart from putting her works out there with ease, she puts her sexual identity with equal ease.
Can you share with us what inspired you to start and ultimately sell ISH magazine?