KOH SAYS: “While I and the team that worked with me on Damnsel – comprising friends Derma, Ryan and Justin – had a conversation with each subject about her wardrobe for her portrait, I had no idea what Farah would actually turn up at the shoot in. It was cool though – it was essential for every subject to have autonomy over how she wanted to present herself in the book … Before starting on this project, I don’t think I really understood what style means. Farah showed me that it all boils down to one’s imagination and that something ordinary can be totally transformed by wearing it in an unorthodox way.”

KOH SAYS: “Daxa and I met at a Christmas party and she’s someone I really admire: She works three jobs, is also a musician and just got signed as a model – and she rides a motorbike! During this first meeting, she was telling me about the issues she was having with her bike and I knew we had to include it in my photo of her, as she really loves it. I think it perfectly reflects her strong character.”

KOH SAYS: “I had worked with Myo previously on other personal projects and I knew I had to have her in the book because I really dig how she blends the masculine and feminine so effortlessly both as an individual and in the way she dresses. Myo has a really interesting way of putting her outfits together. In this portrait, for example, the scarf that she has layered under the collar of her jacket is in fact part of a rug by Singapore-based label Pras The Bandit that she had cut up.”

KOH SAYS: “What struck me most about Noyona is her unique approach to wearing makeup, which seems to be inspired by her Indian heritage. Contrasted with a utilitarian way of dressing, the results are pretty striking … She told me that this was the first shoot she had ever done, which I found surprising. Given Noyona’s cool persona online, I assumed she would have been approached by many to model for them, so it’s a tremendous privilege for me to be the first person to document her style.”

KOH SAYS: “The very first time I met Joey in person was during my shoot with her. Prior to that, I always wondered what kind of person she is because I had seen her a lot on social media, modelling for various people – and then I learnt why: She’s a really good model who’s so easy to photograph. She’s shy, but that quality translates into a certain gentleness that comes through in her posture and gaze when she’s in front of the camera.

KOH SAYS: “I got to know Ka Yan first, through Instagram and TikTok – she was always someone that I noticed for her colourful style that reminds me of Harajuku girls from earlier decades. Meanwhile, her sister Mun is quieter in personality and I found this dichotomy between the two of them perfectly reflected in the way each of them dresses. This made being able to shoot the both of them together really cool.”

This article first appeared in the March 2023 Express Yourself! Edition of FEMALE