The $11 dino purse that billionaire CEO wife of Singapore PM carried while visiting the Obamas becomes latest ‘it’ thing in fashion

Ho Ching’s denim dino purse (inset, courtesy Today) has become a style statement after her US visit. (Source: Reuters)

While well-known political personae like Kate Middleton and Michelle Obama are looked up to and closely followed when it comes to setting fashion trends, Ho Ching, the CEO of Temasek and the wife of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, is the latest to join the bandwagon. Not as known for setting fashion trends as she is for being one of the most powerful women in the world according to Forbes, Ho Ching on her visit to the US in August first week, held a cute dinosaur etched denim pouch, pairing it with her gold and black pantsuit. And guess what, it’s retail price is just $11!

The pouch has been designed by a 19-year-old student See Toh Sheng Jie, who attends the Art Faculty by Pathlight, a school in Singapore that nurtures artistic talents of kids with autism and special needs. Sold at just $11 online, the school saw all 200 of the purses flying off their shelves within 24 hours of Ching’s public appearance. While this is a very generous move on the part of Ching, whether intentional or not, to bring the artworks of specially abled children to the limelight, this is not the first time a well-known personality has pulled off casual fashion and won hearts while at it.

Kate Middleton in the traditional kira skirt on the royal visit to Bhutan. (Source: AP)

Closer home, when Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, visited Bhutan earlier this year, her beautiful wardrobe made news on their own. But the most talked about was the beautiful traditional kira skirt. Purple in colour, the skirt was very similar to a wrap-around and following the Duchess’ public appearance donning it, its sales soared high and was hence, resurrected as a fashion statement.