Ko nova generacija Singapurja stopa na svetovni oder, Grazia predstavlja Riono Dighe, osemnajstletno manekenko in predstavnico Singapurja na tekmovanju Miss Teen Universe 2026, ki povezuje modo, ambicije in željo po pozitivnih spremembah.
Singapur se je vedno znal na novo izumiti. V le nekaj generacijah je ta otoška država postala ena najbolj mednarodno povezanih destinacij na svetu, obenem pa ohranila kulture in tradicije, ki ji dajejo prepoznavno identiteto.
Za Riono Dighe ima to ravnovesje med dediščino in mednarodnimi ambicijami tudi osebni pomen.
Pri osemnajstih se Riona pripravlja, da bo kot predstavnica Singapurja nastopila na tekmovanju Miss Teen Universe 2026 v Kambodži. Pri tem jo vodijo tri besede, ki po njenem najbolje opisujejo sodobni Singapur: večkulturnost, ambicioznost in sočutje.
»Želim predstavljati Singapur, ki je ambiciozen in sodoben, obenem pa večkulturen in sočuten.«
Dekle iz Singapurja na svetovnem odru
Tudi Rionino življenje vse bolj povezuje različne svetove. V Londonu študira poslovne vede, hkrati pa gradi mednarodno manekensko kariero, ki jo je že popeljala na tedne mode v New Yorku, Londonu, Milanu in Parizu.
Njene ambicije segajo onkraj modne piste. Želi si mednarodne kariere na področjih mode, lepote in luksuza, poslovno znanje pa ji pomaga razumeti tudi industrijo v ozadju podob. V prihodnosti se želi podati tudi v podjetništvo.
To je izrazito sodobna pot: Singapur kot temelj, svet kot prostor priložnosti.
Ob vse večji prepoznavnosti pa Riona razmišlja tudi o tem, kako jo lahko uporabi za nekaj dobrega.
Dobrodelno delo, zlasti na področju pomoči otrokom in izobraževanja, je že del njenega življenja. Zdaj ta prizadevanja usmerja tudi v domače okolje s pobudo Project Pink, namenjeno ozaveščanju o raku dojk in pomenu zgodnjega odkrivanja.
Po pogovorih z zdravstvenimi strokovnjaki v Singapurju je začela razmišljati, kako bi to temo približala mlajši generaciji. V sodelovanju z znamko Origin Tea bo v okviru pobude Project Pink nastala posebna rožnata pijača, ki bo ozaveščanje in zbiranje sredstev povezala z okoljem, ki ga njena generacija dobro pozna.
Gre za drugačen način širjenja pomembnega sporočila: prek druženja in vizualne privlačnosti, z željo, da bi bilo dostopno čim širšemu krogu ljudi.
S Singapurjem v Kambodžo
Kmalu bo Rionina pozornost usmerjena v Kambodžo, kjer bo na njenem tekmovalnem traku pisalo preprosto: Singapur.
Toda za tem imenom je zgodba, ki jo želi predstaviti. Zgodba večkulturne države, ki je doživela izjemno preobrazbo, svetovnega mesta z globokimi kulturnimi koreninami in generacije, ki vse bolj samozavestno povezuje oboje.
»V Kambodžo želim priti z zavedanjem, da ljudem predstavljam Singapur, na katerega sem ponosna,« pravi. »Seveda želim nastopiti po svojih najboljših močeh, vendar si želim tudi, da bi si ljudje zapomnili, od kod prihajam.«
Kambodža je morda njena naslednja destinacija, a Riona že razmišlja o prihodnosti: o mednarodni modi, poslovnem svetu, podjetništvu in dobrodelnem delu, ki naj bi raslo skupaj z njeno prepoznavnostjo.
Najverjetneje jo čakajo še druga mesta, kampanje in odri.
Singapur pa ostaja nit, ki jih povezuje.
V Rioni Dighe Grazia prepoznava novo podobo dekleta iz Singapurja: sodobno, večkulturno, ambiciozno in sočutno.
Dekle iz Singapurja v novi podobi. Spoznajte Riono Dighe.
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Singapore, reimagined
As Singapore’s next generation steps onto the global stage, Grazia meets Riona Dighe, an eighteen year old model and Singapore’s representative at Miss Teen Universe 2026, who brings together fashion, ambition and purpose.
Singapore has always understood reinvention. In just a few generations, the island nation has become one of the world’s most internationally connected destinations while preserving the cultures and traditions that make it unmistakably its own.
For Riona Dighe, that balance between heritage and global ambition feels personal.
At eighteen, Riona is preparing to represent her country at Miss Teen Universe 2026 in Cambodia, guided by three words she believes describe modern Singapore: multicultural, ambitious and compassionate.
“I want to represent a Singapore that is ambitious and modern, but also multicultural and compassionate.”
A Singapore girl goes global
Riona’s own life increasingly moves between worlds. She studies business in London while developing an international modelling career that has already taken her to fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris.
Her ambitions extend beyond the runway. Riona hopes to work internationally across fashion, beauty and luxury, using her business education to understand the industry behind the imagery. Eventually, entrepreneurship is part of the plan.
It is a distinctly modern trajectory: Singapore as the foundation, the world as a place of opportunity.
Yet as her profile grows, Riona is equally interested in what she can do with it.
Philanthropic work, particularly involving children and education, has already played a role in her life. Now, she is bringing that sense of purpose home through Project Pink, an initiative focused on breast cancer awareness and early detection.
After speaking with medical professionals in Singapore, Riona began considering how to make the conversation resonate with younger audiences. In collaboration with Origin Tea, Project Pink will introduce a special pink drink designed to bring awareness and fundraising into an environment already familiar to her generation.
It is a different way of communicating purpose: social, visual and intentionally accessible.
Carrying Singapore to Cambodia
Soon, Riona’s attention will turn to Cambodia, where her sash will simply read Singapore.
But behind that name lies the story she hopes to represent: a multicultural country shaped by extraordinary transformation, a global city with deep cultural roots and a generation increasingly comfortable embracing both.
“I want to walk into Cambodia knowing that I’m showing people the Singapore I’m proud of,” she says. “Of course I want to perform at my absolute best, but I also want people to remember where I came from.”
Cambodia may be her next destination, but Riona is already thinking beyond it: international fashion, business, entrepreneurship and philanthropic work she hopes will grow alongside her platform.
There will likely be other cities, campaigns and stages.
But Singapore remains the thread connecting them.
In Riona Dighe, Grazia discovers a reimagined Singapore girl: modern, multicultural, ambitious and compassionate.
The Singapore girl, reimagined. Meet Riona Dighe.
Model: @riona.dighe
Organizacija: @orgmissteenuniverse
Obleka: @lengoclam.official
Fotografija: @tutim.pic
Stiliranje: @nvphc.11_stylingg
Ličenje: @_duonghoaiphuc
Pričeska: @kiet_hairstylist
Nakit: @tomaisonofficial
Besedilo: @onceuponatimebrit in @parisrunwayofficial
