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CNA
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
As all-white soiree Diner en Blanc returns to Singapore, can a Gen Z host shake off its exclusive vibe?
Secrecy and inclusivity go together like white clothing and sambal chilli. But bringing together seemingly conflicting ideas is the lofty ambition of one Singaporean, who plans to make one of the world's most famous pop-up events a night to remember for 3,000 guests. And he's only 18. Chiang Yee has been appointed the youngest host in history for Le Diner en Blanc, more commonly called Diner en Blanc, which will return to Singapore on Sep 6 for its seventh edition here. With its presence in more than 85 cities since it began in Paris in 1988, the large-scale urban picnic is renowned for keeping its outdoor location secret – including from guests – until the event itself. Guests are also expected to adhere to the all-white dress code; and usually encouraged to bring along their own white furniture, utensils and table decor, although they can also request for tables and chairs to be provided. The goal is to create a sense of unity through purposeful uniformity. And while guests are encouraged to bring their own food, per picnic norms, there are also catered meals available for order on the Diner en Blanc online store pre-event. But what does someone from a generation often criticised for being glued to their screens understand about pulling off a massive get-together, in a world where the mere concept of community has fundamentally shifted post-pandemic? What does a teenager – who's just hit the legal drinking age in Singapore, hasn't yet done National Service and still isn't sure what he wants to study in university – know about navigating the complexities of hosting a decadent soiree against a backdrop of global unrest? What does he know about the public relations fiasco that happened during Diner en Blanc's inaugural edition in Singapore 13 years ago, which his father hosted? He was only five then. Enough to realise he's got his work cut out for him, but not enough to be deterred, as I learnt when I spoke with the clearheaded 18-year-old earlier in July. In 2012, a food blogger was 'uninvited' after he apparently refused to remove his blog post recommending white Singapore food items to bring, like tau huay (bean curd) and chicken rice. It led to heated debate about whether local fare was sophisticated enough to match Diner en Blanc's branding. The organisers eventually apologised for the miscommunication, stating that local food had always been embraced anywhere in the world Diner en Blanc was held. Subsequently, the 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018 editions in Singapore went on with comparably muted fanfare. A LOVE FOR EVENTS Now at the helm, Chiang talks about his intention to bring together different communities as though he's an experienced event planner. To be fair, he kind of is. The Anglo-Chinese School (International) graduate was in the student council, where he planned events like student orientation, prom night and Valentine's Day. 'The events were all student-led; no teachers were involved. All of us had to form a team for marketing, finance, operations, the whole gist of it. And what really piqued my interest was the … logistics and marketing; talking to the students, inviting them. It's a long tedious process, but it's so fun,' he gushed. He also volunteered to organise the after-prom party with his friends at a chalet. Almost his entire cohort turned up, he added with a grin. 'After all the heart, sweat and tears I put in with my team … finally on the event day, I just can't wait to see all the smiles.' Colour me somewhat convinced. Not everyone has the ability to rally the most challenging demographic – angsty, uncooperative, judgemental teenagers. So when Chiang heard Diner en Blanc was looking for an Asian host with 'something new and fresh', he sent in his application to bring the event back to Singapore. 'I may be my father's son but I'm also my own man. I took time to go and talk to (Diner en Blanc's) HQ; it took about two to three months before I was finally approved as a host,' he said. 'Many things went through their mind. First of all, my age: I'm a young boy. What can I bring to the table? I proved to them I could, with fresh ideas and new perspectives.' HONOURING HERITAGE, REDEFINING LUXURY Not only did Chiang land his role, he ensured Singapore would be the first and only Asian city to host Diner en Blanc in 2025. He secured Moet & Chandon, one of the world's most prominent luxury champagne brands, as the event's main partner, marking their first Diner en Blanc partnership in Asia. Their red and white wines, as well as champagne, will be available on site. Guests are not allowed to bring their own booze. He also scored a partnership with five-star luxury hotel The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, which will offer exclusive staycation packages for guests wishing to extend their evening after the dinner. 'When (Diner en Blanc) went global, it was really about showcasing your city's heritage and tradition. I want to show the world what Singapore is like,' he said. Partnering with historic brands also ties in with Singapore's celebration of its own heritage in its 60th birthday year, he believes. Despite Chiang's desire to put his own spin on things, Diner en Blanc's standard guidelines still apply (along with common sense and social awareness), though he isn't fussed about specifics. Respect the all-white dress code and don't mistake casual for slipshod – no slippers, in other words. But with Singapore's humidity, guests are welcome to wear a T-shirt. One can't be expected to enjoy the after-party dancing while suffocating in a suit, he reasoned. As with previous editions, there are team leaders, each responsible for putting together a table. Among the approximately 100 leaders this time – including university students and working professionals from finance to production houses – some were previous Diner en Blanc leaders and guests, now back to relive their formerly once-in-a-lifetime moment. Others signed up after seeing social media callouts. All are volunteers who share his passion for bringing together various communities to make core memories, and he wants to highlight their unique perspectives and personalities. "Storytelling" is the one aspect he often finds missing from events that fall flat. "Each guest will be under different leadership. Some leaders want to bring lots of fairy lights, make the table very pretty. Others will want to do a Haidilao hot pot. All of them have their different stories, and I give them the ability to create their own narrative," he said. "It's about what you want the world to perceive your event to be. For me, it's really simple. I want it to be about my leaders. They're the ones that support me ... They are the gatekeepers of the tickets." Tickets will cost S$60, released in three phases starting Aug 1. The first phase is for previous guests; the second, from Aug 8, for those invited by team leaders; and the third phase, starting Aug 12, will be open to the waitlist which has ballooned to over 50,000 people. (That's at least 16 times the spots available.) Naturally, the final phase involves some quintessentially Singaporean competition to secure a ticket. Those keen to attend can try searching for and connecting with team leaders on social media or online forums in the meantime, where some may have started sharing about their role for the event. Chiang doesn't want Diner en Blanc's inherent elusiveness to be a deterrent, but pique people's curiosity and bring them together to "enjoy the secrecy" as a community trying to figure out the mystery location. And if he's able to create an experience that guests still remember fondly 10 years from now, like previous hosts have, he'll consider his job done. It's an admirable goal, in part because it feels personal. He was, after all, just becoming a teenager when the pandemic hit – an age where connection starts to shape identity and isolation hits harder. At the same time, it is hard to overlook Diner en Blanc's undercurrent of old-school luxury, typically associated with invite-only circles where access often depends on who you know. It feels to me at odds with Chiang's community-driven ethos. Or maybe that's my millennial cynicism showing. Where I see luxury through a lens of wealth and exclusion, and instinctively question any attempt to rebrand indulgence as something egalitarian, it's been said that Gen Z's idea of luxury lies in 'interestingness'. They may still admire standard markers of luxury, but exclusivity alone isn't enough. A thing becomes desirable when it tells a story, and when that story feels authentic and speaks to their identity and values. And by that measure, Diner en Blanc's concept fits the brief. It's what Chiang believes his generation would call "experiential luxury". 'It's not about carrying a physical item, but experiencing that once-in-a-lifetime moment. It's a core memory you make with your best friends and loved ones,' he said, hopeful that more young people will "get the idea" and attend the event. "It's about friends of friends – making new friends through your connections. I want to create a feeling that everybody will somehow get to know each other. If not, it will become a networking party, which I don't want." When we first started talking, Chiang described himself as "an ordinary boy with extraordinary dreams", and I found myself instantly sceptical. I'd been quick to see tone-deaf hedonism, instead of someone trying, in his own way, to carve out space for joy and connection. An evening of unity won't fix a "divided world", he knows that. But in a time when it's easier to give in to distrust and disillusionment, maybe such events do offer something simpler that we've long overlooked. A reminder that community, if only for a night, still matters.
West Australian
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Bali's White Party celebrates 25 years on August 16
White parties hark back to 1988 when Frenchman Francois Pasquier invited a large group of friends to dinner in a public park in Paris. To make it easy for guests to find one another, he asked everyone to dress in white. It was such a success that he did it again the following year and the year after that, eventually turning it into a ticketed event called Diner en Blanc — Dinner in White. In 2009 the concept went global and now spans 120 cities in six countries, making it the biggest dinner party in the world. The Perth event, last held at Subiaco Oval in October 2024, hosts up to 2,500 people per year. In the 90s, all-white parties with a focus on dancing rather than dining began making headlines in the US, with ultra-exclusive events in the mansions in the Hamptons that attracted the who's who of Hollywood. 'White clothing, because of the maintenance it requires and the high likelihood that it will become ruined, has often, throughout Western history, been associated with status,' wrote entertainment journalist Ellie Shechet in her essay The Real Story Behind The Hamptons White Party. The theme for this year's event is yet to be announced but Ku De Ta has dropped a clue on its website: Circo de la Luna — Circus of the Moon. 'I'm used to running events where we always have to improve and improve, to exceed visitor expectations each year,' Arshad says. 'But the White Party is more challenging because we have to make a much broader event experience to take our guests into a different dimension.'
