How did I get here? I feel like I have always had a passion for content creating. I have a background in graphic design and after working in-house, I realised that I can actually do this by myself and for myself. It happened very organically. Modelling, on the other hand, was almost accidental. It’s something that I’ve fallen in love with and I’ve been doing it for almost five years now. As for Looop, it was something that my ex-colleagues at Riuh and I decided to do. It’s different from other thrift stores because it works on a consignment basis and it’s nice to see that the store attracts a different demographic to second-hand shopping.
I love collecting one-of-a-kind, unique pieces and shopping vintage. I love being able to own a piece that represents who I am as a person and makes me feel like I’m the only person who has it when I wear it. I also think that it’s something so special because they carry a lot of memory with them. The last piece I bought was this pair of leather cowboy boots with flower embellishment. Those boots to me right now are so special because every time I wear them I feel so confident, like nothing can faze me. I found them in a boutique called Relique when I was in Paris last December for the Grand Numéro de Chanel exhibition.
My partnership with Chanel has been one of the most inspiring working relationships that I’ve had. I started working with the team a couple of years ago and they’re one of the most consistent brands in a sense that they have given me the opportunity to be creative without any restrictions. It allows me to push myself and grow in my own work. I’m just thankful that through my journey in bettering myself and trying to do my best in my own work, it has gotten me opportunities to experience all these amazing things even though I never planned on becoming an “influencer”.
As a matter of fact, I don’t really see myself as an influencer but I know that that is what some people see me as. I just really enjoy creating content. I enjoy photography, videography and editing, and this is the job that allows me to do all that while having my own creative vision. I don’t know if I want to be an influencer —I think it comes with a lot of pressure—but I am aware that my work may have an influence on some people. I think we’re all absorbing these influences from so many things when we spend so much time online. I myself have found inspiration in the works of others as well.
When it comes to style, growing up, I tend to look at that “hot girls” troupe and I was like, “I want to be a hot girl too” even though that’s not me. But as I turned 19, I realised that following trends doesn’t make me feel comfortable especially when I go out. I don’t feel confident. I feel confident when I’m comfortable, when I’m wearing pieces that make me feel good. So I started leaning in that direction a little bit more. But since I’ve started working in content creation, I’ve really looked up to people like Jane Chuck and Bella Kwan who have been doing this for so long and have developed an authentic voice for themselves.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY CHEE WEI
CREATIVE DIRECTION BY IAN LOH
STYLED BY AMELIA TAN
HAIR CKAY LIOW
MAKEUP CAT YONG
This article was first published in the print edition of Grazia Malaysia March 2023.