Interview by: Abi Koh | Photographs by: Weiqi Yap
Weiqi Yap is the person behind the Instagram account Coqillage. When we discovered her Instagram, we fell in love with her aesthetic. We just knew we had to feature her, and were so excited when she said yes! Weiqi's Instagram feed is a reminder that you don't need hi-tech camera equipment to shoot beautiful photos.
Q: How would you describe your aesthetic?
A: Very aptly put by a friend on Tumblr — “Your aesthetic is a calendar with really candid tropical photos for each month hanging on a white wall speckled with sunlight coming through blinds from a window and Elvis playing in the background.” It’s spot on, I love it.
Q: When did you start getting serious about photography?
A: I don't consider myself a photographer actually; I just spend excessive amounts of time taking pictures of things I find visually pleasing.
Q. Where do you find inspiration?
A: Boring answer probably, but the internet! Especially Tumblr, Instagram and YouTube. I’ve met some of the coolest, most creative individuals through these platforms and we mutually inspire one another, I think. It’s great being in this little community that shares your taste in aesthetics.
Q. What art school did you attend?
A: I recently graduated from School Of The Arts, Singapore (SOTA) where I specialised in Visual Arts (Media Arts).
Q: What were your areas of focus in school?
A: I specialised in Media Arts but I was probably the least technical student in my class. I’m clueless when it comes to stuff like aperture and all that. My works ranged from embroidery to film, and I was most interested in exploring garments and their various connotations. These works are strangely separate from the art I make in my free time though — my personal sketchbook is filled with pen sketches, watercolour drawings... And pressed plants, of course! I also do a little graphic design on the side. As for university, I’m planning on pursuing Fashion Journalism.
Q: Did you receive pressure from your parents or peers to receive a more "conventional" education instead of going to art school? How did you make up your mind that art was what you wanted to do?
A: I’m extremely fortunate to have amazingly supportive parents who understand that an arts education is just as viable as a “conventional” one. I entered SOTA when I was thirteen, so applying to enrol there was very much an impromptu decision. I’ve always wanted to end up working in a creative industry, but deciding on Fashion Journalism was a recent shift. I realised I often gravitated towards research and theory, and found myself really enjoying reading and writing about fashion, more so than actual designing — something I decided I don’t have a knack for, haha.
Q: What cameras do you use?
A: Just my iPhone 5! I edit my photos with VSCOcam.
Q: What are your dreams for the future?
A: To become a critical and engaged fashion writer at a publication I admire; creating content that promotes discourse. There’s so much to be said regarding fashion and its influence, and I hope to be able to contribute to that conversation!
Find Weiqi at these following links:
Instagram - @coqillage
Tumblr - coqillage.tumblr.com
Online Portfolio - weiqiyap.tumblr.com