Free Spirit

Her love for stylish, utilitarian pieces is the reason why model and graphic designer Relle Lai’s outfits are so effortlessly cool.

- DESIREE FANG

Ask Rochelle Lai (better known as Relle Lai) what she was like growing up, and she'd be quick to say that she was not known as an outgoing and gregarious child. Reserved and quiet, she was content with playing by herself, or focusing on her interests and tasks at hand. She loved art and fashion, but she certainly did not see herself getting into modelling as a career.

Life, however, had other plans. The 24-year-old, who has a Communication Design diploma, is now a fashion and lifestyle digital creator and model, with an Instagram following of close to 11,000. She's also a freelance graphic designer.

Facing an "identity crisis" in 2021, Relle decided to quit her full-time job as she felt that it limited her "time and energy for personal passions".

It was during this period that she began documenting her outfits and other visually pleasing items on her Instagram account.

This caught the attention of brands, who started reaching out with opportunities for her to model or create content for them. Her big break came when she published a post featuring Gentle Monster, an eyewear brand from South Korea.

"It became a turning point for me where I began taking it all more seriously," she says.

When it comes to her personal style, Relle says the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi (an appreciation of the beauty of imperfection) is something that deeply influences her.

She also adores Brutalism, an architectural style associated with rough, unfinished surfaces, unusual shapes, and a utilitarian feel.