Charlotte Chia, 27, hasn’t slowed down since she was crowned Miss Universe Singapore last year and represented Singapore on the global stage in Mexico. These days, she’s juggling a new role at global advertising agency Octagon, her advocacy work with the Singapore Women’s Association, and a brand-new collaboration with local label Triologie.
On 30 September, Charlotte will front a Charity Fashion Show at Mount Faber, where bespoke designs inspired by Singapore stories will be showcased to raise funds for APSN, a social service agency empowering individuals with mild intellectual disabilities. We caught up with Charlotte ahead of the show to talk crowns, causes, and what she really thinks about this year’s finalists.
Hi Charlotte! How different is your life after MUS24 from pageant life?
Charlotte: “A little less hairspray in the morning but definitely not less busy.. At Octagon, I’ve shifted gears (literally) to explore a space I have very little exposure to — sports. Football, F1, you name it. But I’ve realised the skills I built in pageantry — confidence, resilience, adaptability, time management — are the same ones I use daily in corporate life.
Fun fact: almost the whole of my first interview with the team, they wanted to hear about my experiences at Miss Universe and how what I’ve learnt shaped me. Who said pageants can’t take you far (in corporate life)?”
Why did you collaborate with Triologie through a fashion show?
Charlotte: “In my day-to-day, I often plan money-can’t-buy experiences for my clients. Marrying the project management and planning aspects from my corporate life, and my experiences on runway and in the world of pageantry, the natural conclusion was a fashion show. Besides, Fashion is one of the most powerful ways to tell stories.
Triologie’s designs celebrate Singapore heritage, and I love that this show goes beyond style. It’s about inclusivity, raising funds, and creating visibility for APSN. What better last event for me to cap off my reign than this?”
Why is it important that APSN is the beneficiary for the charity fashion show?
Charlotte: “APSN empowers individuals with mild intellectual disabilities to find independence and purpose. In a busy world where it’s so easy to just focus solely on yourself and the mainstream narrative, I think we also need to take time to see and hear those in our communities who are often overlooked.
For me, a natural storyteller who entered into communications to tell stories and shape experiences, supporting them is a way of amplifying voices we don’t hear enough.”
You’re balancing Octagon, advocacy work, and now fashion. How do you keep it together?
Charlotte: “Coffee, my calendar, a sense of humour, and a strong will to get things done. A strong ‘why’ is important too. Sometimes when that alarm goes off or I’m burning the midnight oil, knowing my ‘why’ helps me crush it out when I feel like crashing. Besides, I like to say it’s not so much ‘balance’ as it is ‘prioritization’.”
What’s been your biggest “pinch-me” moment since Mexico?
Charlotte: “Being at an international pageant is like being in a different eco-system. 4am call times, a different outfit for morning, noon, and night, flying across the world with seven luggage bags— the whole experience is a “pinch-me” moment. And, of course, being in the front line and dancing in front of twenty thousand screaming fans was amazing, but equally, being able to come home and use the crown as a platform for local causes feels just as grand and even more meaningful.”
What are your thoughts on this year’s Top 15 finalists?
Charlotte: “Sometimes I think to myself— was I ever that young? That being said I applaud them for the courage and drive to take on the Universe at such a young age. Bold, authentic, and very Gen Z. For young ladies from diverse backgrounds to champion their causes and speak up about sustainability, inclusivity, and mental health… I think the crown is in good hands.”
Lastly, does Grandma still care about the crown?
Charlotte: “She’s proud, of course. But between you and me, she likes it better when I take her out for a bite (and eat her homemade dumplings).”
