A troop of 15 amateur senior models are set to put on an SG60-themed fashion show as part of Caregiving Fest 2025 on 20 September.
The silver women walking the catwalk are all beneficiaries of the Caregiving Welfare Association (CWA), the social service organisation behind the event. Aged in their 60s and up, it is the first time these ladies are doing something like this.
The fashion show will feature the women in upcycled, homemade outfits adorned with recycled materials.
Lee Hwa, for instance, will take to the stage in a grey dress done up with sequins and purple frills reminiscent of Singapore’s national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid, along with a selection of kueh on the back.
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Spent "weeks" getting their costumes ready
We visited the troop ahead of their big debut at CWA’s activity room in the void deck of a Ghim Moh flat.
The centre is normally quiet by 3pm – its exercise classes or K-pop dancing activities are typically held in the morning – but today, less than five days away from the troop’s matinee, it is abuzz with activity.
The women are all busy getting their costumes together ahead of an impending full-dress rehearsal. Several younger girls from the Fashion Parade, a sustainability-focused collective of Gen-Z fashionistas, mingle among the troop while dishing out style tips.
Lee Hwa puts the finishing touches to her outfit as her 87-year-old husband watches by. She makes it a point to bring him along for most of her activities at CWA, as he’d just “lie down and sleep” at home otherwise.
Meanwhile, her table neighbour and good friend, 75-year-old Doreen Yong, is still working on the finer details of her get-up.
For today, she’ll be focused on recreating the explosion of National Day Parade fireworks on her top using multi-hued pipe cleaners and liberal amounts of glue.
The glittery adornment will go with an outline of Singapore’s map on her back, along with hanging baubles calling back to local icons like the traditional chapteh shuttlecock and chili crab.
While preparations for the show officially began just two weeks ago, 68-year-old Saliha says that she’s been working on the various components of her outfit – which includes a tie, shawl, and star-studded sunglasses – for “weeks”.
The most time-consuming item is undoubtedly a flowing green dress stitched with a kaleidoscope of beads. The silver proudly declares that forming the intricate, repeating floral patterns was “no problem” for an old hat with crafts like her.
She’s not exactly nervous to strut her stuff in front of a crowd either, seeing as how she previously took part in a group dance for a separate event by non-profit organisation Lions Befrienders.
Defying age stereotypes together
CWA will be planning not one, but two stereotype-defying activities at their marquee festival this year.
Apart from a fashion show, the organisation also plans to showcase a group K-pop dance led by dance instructor Lim Bee Lay, who will also be taking part in the catwalk.
The preparation for this dance performance has been going on for more than two months, she estimates, though the biggest difficulty is not learning the moves.
Dancers like Lee Hwa, for example, have improved by leaps and bounds after finding their rhythm in live performances.
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At Caregiving Fest 2025
The festival is the culmination of CWA’s annual Caregiving Week. With this year’s theme of “A Lifeline For Seniors”, the event puts seniors and their caregivers in the spotlight, offering practical training on life skills, healthy ageing, and better care.
Other than the aforementioned fashion show and dance performance, expect workshops, talks, and hands-on activities that empower and enable, all while building a supportive community for seniors and those who look after them.
Caregiving Fest 2025 will be held at the Sengkang Grand Mall atrium on 20 September 2025, from 9:30am. Attendance is free and open to the public.
