By Annette Tan

"Herve Van Der Straten is one of my favourite furniture designers. I love the materials he uses, his eye for proportions and his ability to make an object look beautiful yet fun and edgy."

"I like the balance of sensuality and elegance, and masculinity and femininity, that architect and designer India Mahdavi accomplishes. Her style is something both my husband and I appreciate."

ONE: Never be a slave to trends - but at the same time, don't be afraid of trends.

Two: Enjoy the shopping experience. Never succumb to peer pressure - if your girlfriend tells you that you look fabulous in every outfit, drop her. She is not a good shopping buddy

Three: If a salesgirl pressures you to get something, don't ever go back to that shop again...or go when the salesgirl is off duty.

Such are the rules of shopping according to Ms Cindy Chua (above). The stylish 38-year-old girl-about-town is more than qualified to dispense such pearls of shopping wisdom - after all, she is known for her classy, head-turning sense of style which has won her a place on Her World's 2007 Most Stylish Women list.

Her attitude towards shopping is sharp and simple: "I buy what I absolutely love and I only buy things I know I can appreciate years down the road, especially if it is a big ticket item," she says via e-mail from New York.

The owner of The Nail Room and retail shop Icing On The Cake, Ms Chua spends spring and summer in New York, where her sister lives, and is a frequent flyer who travels constantly as part of her job.

Naturally, while traipsing the globe, she manages to squeeze in time to shop wherever she may be.

"I get great satisfaction from discovering new things when I shop," she says. "It isn't always about buying something - the process of seeing new designs, the feel of the fabrics, the inspiration of the designer (are all exciting), and some places have amazing window displays."

Among her favourite things are the furniture designs of French jewellery Herve Van Der Straten; the understated yet unmistakable collections from Alber Elbaz for Lanvin, and exquisitely crafted timepieces from Franck Muller.

"New York City street artist Peter Zonis captures the very essence of some of the places I frequent when I am in the city. This is Balthazar, a restaurant in Soho, which is special to me. My first time there was when I caught up with my step-daughter Ashley during her first spring break."

"I believe in wearability, durability, and having the flexibility to mix and match," she enthuses, "thus always making an item appear 'new and refreshing'."

When she's back home in Singapore, Ms Chua heads to stores that promise great service and ease of shopping. "I'm really busy when I'm back home, so it really helps me when shopping is hassle free. Club 21 does a fabulous job of this, as does the Guiseppe Zanotti boutique."

While jet-setting across the globe does have its charms, Ms Chua says it is the familiar surroundings and the familiarity of the salesmen in Singapore that she often looks forward to. As a regular customer of the boutiques she frequents, she loves being well taken care of whenever she visits.

"The salesmen always look out for what's best. I appreciate that they don't push their merchandise for the sake of making a sale. It is always pleasant to shop in such a setting and environment."

And when it comes to the Great Singapore Sale (GSS), she admits that she's not always around to enjoy the great bargains. "But I know many people who have gotten some incredible deals during GSS," she quips.

Spoken like a truly connected shopper.