Before 2018 ended, model Jessica Yang was in Cape Town, South Africa. “I was there three months for modeling—just doing regular model stuff,” she tells us. “I went to casting, worked out, and did shoots [for] e-comm sites, editorials, and two international commercials (that will be out this summer.)
Looking at her Instagram feed during that time felt like she was on an unending summer vacation—balancing work under Base Model Agency, and play. Jess tells us she even experienced “four seasons in one day” at Cape Town.
One of her favorite projects while she was there was done at “a secret spot by the ocean.” She recounts, “No one goes there and it just had the best view! You got the ocean in front of you; to the left you got the beach as your background, [and] to the right, you got the whole mountain behind you.”
That’s why when we finally pinned Jess down while she’s home in Manila (as I’m writing, she’s working in London), we wanted to create looks inspired by South Africa’s biggest summer trends for 2019, minus the swimwear. Business Insider noted that bright colors (think: mustard yellow and green), lace, and florals will be everywhere in the country’s retail stores. The designs are said to exude “a sense of escapism to happy times and positivity.”
Here’s our version of the summer 2019 trend:
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Of course, we couldn’t let Jess go without asking her how she does her signature walk. As a model for 11 years, she’s walked numerous runways for well-known and up-and-coming designers. Want to see how she rocks every step? Watch the video below to see, as well as her coaching skills when we asked three people to replicate her walk.
Photos by JP Talapian
Creative direction by Nimu Muallam
Styled by JL Crespo
Produced by Jacqueline Arias
Hair and makeup by Dorothy Mamalio
Video by JP Talapian and Javier Lobregat
Audio by Samantha Ong
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