THE FIRST STEP

After more than a year, Men’s Folio Model Search 2020 has finally come to a close, with Joseph Yeap walking home with the title.

- John Ng

On the afternoon of Wednesday June 3, 2020, we kick-started our third instalment of what was supposed to be a three-month-long Men’s Folio Model Search contest. New movement restriction orders were imposed along the way and the winner wasn’t announced until May (21st, to be exact) this year. Some of the workshops were rescheduled – and rescheduled again – while some were converted from physical to virtual format. Big, bold and beautiful, sure, but still, to say that the experience from start to finish of this journey was challenging would be an utter understatement.

Yeap travelled from Penang to KL for this photoshoot yesterday after the total nationwide lockdown restrictions, which lasted more than four months, was finally eased. Born and bred in the island-state, the 21-year-old graphic designer got into modelling when he was discovered while accompanying his sister to a go-see. Major gigs ensued. He was casted for KL Fashion Week in that same year and was subsequently scouted by international agencies. An avid art enthusiast with a keen interest in cars, watches, sneakers and collectible figurines, he’s understandably eager to see how far modelling would take him.

I ask Yeap how he gets himself into the mindset of a model? And it appears like there’s already an innate penchant for fashion. “I’m always in awe of Kim Jones’ designs – from the time he launched his own brand to heading Dior Men now, he has consistently put his artistic stamp on his creations. Apart from Kim Jones, Celine’s Hedi Slimane is also one of my favourites. As someone with a slim physique, I fell in love with Slimane since his skinny silhouette era,” he says.