LOWER BEAM IS CROOKED (XIA LIANG WAI)
The Breast of Times
By May Yip. The Straits Times Publication Date: 20-04-2006
Cleavages are bustin' out all over Singapore, it seems. Take the recent Miss Singapore Universe pageant. From tabloids to
blogs, eye-catching bust-lines were what made headlines, with water-cooler talk revolving around the generous cup sizes of this
year's winner.
Miss Singapore Universe
And on a daily basis, images of cleavages juggle - or should that be jiggle - for the attention of passers-by on billboard ads,
covers of magazines and on the small screen.
Not that straight men with healthy libidos are complaining, but you would be excused for thinking that once-conservative
Singapore is turning into one breast-obsessed nation.
"I thought this year's Miss Singapore Universe (Carol Cheong) won because of her boobs," says Joshua-Uriel Leong, a
banker from BOC in his 30s who admits that he is a "boob man" and is drawn to a woman's breasts ahead of her other
physical attributes.
And "Yes, yes, yes - size does matter", he adds.
According to Doy Teo, director of the Singapore operations of lingerie brand Triumph International, the number of women going
up to a bigger C cup has surged from about 10 per cent a decade ago to 18 per cent.
The lingerie industry here is estimated to be worth S$100 million (US$62.58 million), says Teo. The brand now even carries a
line of fuller-figure F-cup bras, and these whoppers have been enjoying brisk sales.
Another favourite among shoppers here is the push-up bra. Foong Yen, a spokesman for home-grown lingerie brand Ero, says
70 per cent of sales come from its Skin.Cool range of push-up bras.
