Malaysian Redditor sees abundance of luxury accessories and asks: 'Are Singaporeans lowkey really rich?'
A Malaysian who recently visited Singapore has asked if Singaporeans are "somewhat lowkey rich", drawing a mix of reactions from netizens.
Redditor @Frostbait9, who only wished to be known as Mr Lim, told Stomp that he is a 31-year-old lawyer from Sarawak, and was on holiday in Singapore a few weeks ago.
In a Reddit post on Christmas Eve, Mr Lim said that while walking around Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and VivoCity, he noticed many men in their mid-30s to 50s wearing expensive watches such as Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe.
Meanwhile, women in their 20s and 30s were carrying branded bags like Goyard, which are priced upwards of $2,400.
Mr Lim said in the post that the number of luxury accessories he saw worn in Singapore far exceeds what he might see in Kuala Lumpur. "Was my experience purely anecdotal? Or are Singaporeans lowkey really rich?" he asked, adding that even a hotel staff member he spoke to wore a high-end Breitling watch.
Mr Lim told Stomp that before his recent visit, the last time he came to Singapore was 12 years ago, when he was a student. "It was my first time to Singapore in a long time. A lot has changed. Looking to visit more," he added.
'Come to the neighbourhood and see us wearing Uniqlo'
Commenters were quick to point out that he was in MBS and VivoCity, which are places the wealthy — be they foreigners, locals, or tourists — would hang out.
"And for people who want to spend a day in that area, it would be a special occasion worth dressing up for [sic] so of course you would see them decked out in expensive clothing and branded goods," a Redditor explained.
Others suggested he visit the heartlands. "Come to the neighbourhood and see us wearing Uniqlo?" said one.
'Rich in general' but 'not Rolex rich'
Some did agree that Singaporeans are indeed rich. "I think rich in general. Not Rolex rich but we can afford 1 or 2 holidays a year," said a commenter, who noted that even those living in HDB flats can be seen driving luxury cars like BMWs and Mercedes Benzs.
Another who agreed that MBS and VivoCity are "populated by the upper middle class/expats" also offered an explanation for the high visibility of luxury items: "Insane real estate prices" as well as "disproportionately expensive" luxury cars.
"This generally leads to more consumerism (you cant [sic] afford to buy property so you might as well spend on material goods)," he added.
Branded items don't mean wealth
Other pointed out that wearing branded items does not necessarily equate to wealth. "Most Singaporeans wear Rolex just for the name. The rich and smart ones wear Grand Seiko," said a netizen.
"Many of the luxury brands are aspirational. Some people buy and wear them to be seen. True wealth is at most times, invisible," said another.
Some said the luxury items might not even be genuine, while another suggested that by comparison, the Malaysian capital was not a safe place to be showing off luxury items.
Anothere said in jest that the real indication of a person's wealth could be seen in the food court. "When the person in front of you orders fish or broccoli, that's how u [sic] know he made it in life."
