Chow Sow Lei is a Penang girl who lived near Kek Seng Cafe at Penang Road which was established by Tung Seng Chong and Quah Beh Keat in 1906. As a little girl, Sow Lei had been close friends with the Kek Seng kids, and ended up marrying into the family. 

I first met Freda in 2013 through a common friend, Rienna Choo. They were exercise buddies. I was looking for someone to experiment on a new direction at my studio. I was not aware that she was working at BFM Radio or a former TV and radio newsreader but she was a big fan of my work.

Sometime earlier this year, Uma and I caught up again after losing touch for several years. During our in-depth conversations, I invited her to be a part of my collection of ‘ Women of Substance ’ and she cordially accepted. I realized during the shoot that we hadn’t lost our ‘groove’ working as a team and she was a blast to work with. 

I first met Tina at a function for expatriate women married to Malaysians. Almost all the foreign wives were of Caucasian descent except for this one Chinese-looking woman.When I spoke to her, I realised that if I closed my eyes, she is every inch a Brit. Due to the Malaysian immigration challenges, most foreign wives end up as homemakers. However, Tina strikes me as a person who cannot be ‘caged’ in the house. As years passed, i observed her career growth and her adaptation to life in Malaysia.