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Featuring

Yah-Leng
Designer

Wearing

Shirt

Uniqlo

Pants

Taobao

Shoes

New Balance

Cap

Foreign Policy

Bag

The New Yorker

Watch

Casio

Congrats on the pilot Bootcamp for Foreign Policy Summer School. What was the inspiration behind the programme?
During this difficult time, we didn’t want to lose touch with what we’ve been doing, but wanted to provide designers with the same access to develop their craft. Bootcamp was our way of opening up Summer School to the public instead of our usual small cohort of students.

How was it like delivering Summer School virtually?
We wanted to keep the sessions interactive so there were lots of activities and assignments for people to work on. It was also exciting for us to have international attendees dial in from Europe and the U.S.

 Your daughter is now three. What are some of the joys of seeing her grow up?
By nature, she is very considerate. She likes shopping (laughs) and whenever we’re at the convenience store or supermarket, she makes sure to pick something up for everyone. She’s beginning to talk now too and that has brought a lot of joy.

Parenting and leading a design agency are both full-time jobs. Do you have any tips for working parents?
I don’t think I have any tips—I’m not some super entrepreneurial tiger mom (laughs). I’m not the kind to make sure I read to my kid every day and night, and give her homework and things to do—I’m not that organised. But I just do my best and I think for me, communication is still key.

Describe the perfect holiday for the three of you.
On the beach, chilling. Last year, after Phase 2, we spent every weekend at Sentosa. As a family, we always have plans to see the world. Mongolia is next on our list. 

Is there something you would like to accomplish at Foreign Policy by the end of the year?
We are launching a video-on-demand edition of Summer School for people who missed the live sessions. At the same time, we’re planning the future of the programme. We want it to be a source of knowledge for designers.  

When it comes to design, who is your current muse? When was the last time you felt truly inspired?
I recently had some time to read about Junya Watanabe and Jun Takahashi of UNDERCOVER. I’ve always known about their work, especially as protégés of Rei Kawakubo, but never gone in-depth. And Chitose Abe of Sacai too. Her approach to design—mixing different materials and styles together—is unique. She’s always doing things differently, which resonates with me.  

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