From Singapore studios to global stages, these women artists and designers—image-makers, object-shapers, world-builders—are redefining what it means to make. Through lens, line, and material, they are expanding the visual language of our time. Ahead, meet Phuay Li Ying, the Singapore artist building a world where art extends beyond the canvas.
Long before she became known for her painterly prints and expressive motifs, Phuay Li Ying already knew art would define her life. “Even as a child, [art] was the one thing I genuinely enjoyed,” she recalls. “While most people didn’t look forward to art class, I was always excited for it.” For Phuay, painting became an instinctive language early on—a way of translating emotion, memory and nature into something tangible. “I might feel something and translate that into a form or a flower, even if it doesn’t exist in reality,” she says. “It’s less about depicting something literal, and more about capturing my interpretation of nature.”
Phuay eventually launched Ying The Label, the Singapore brand that became synonymous with digitally printed fabrics and hand-drawn motifs. Yet even then, she never approached it purely from a fashion perspective. “It started from art,” she explains. Originally hoping to create wooden jewellery, she was eventually guided towards fabric printing, which became the medium audiences came to recognise her for. At the time, she was still working at a bank and searching for a creative outlet beyond the conventions of corporate life. “I was exploring,” she says. “I knew I didn’t want to stay in a conventional job, and I was trying to find a way to express my creativity.”
Over time, however, she realised that while she loved creating the artwork itself, the operational demands of fashion—production, scaling and logistics—were less fulfilling. More importantly, she began questioning the longevity of the work. “People would buy the clothes, wear them, and eventually let them go,” she reflects. “I wanted my art to live on.”
The turning point came during the pandemic, alongside the personal shifts of marriage and motherhood. Returning to painting in smaller, more intimate ways—whether covering stains on clothing for her mother or leading shoe-painting workshops for brands—helped crystallise what she truly wanted from her practice. In 2020, she expanded Ying The Label into World of Ying, a multidisciplinary platform that better reflected the breadth of her artistic language across art, objects, textiles, collaborations and immersive experiences. Today, World of Ying represents a return to what first drew her to creating: the act of making art itself.
Phuay is less interested in trends or scale than in creating work with permanence and emotional resonance. Here, she reflects on creativity, craftsmanship, and why she now sees her work as a kind of “modern heirloom.”
GRAZIA Singapore (GS): Your work spans fabric, leather, wood and more. How do you decide which medium best expresses a particular idea or emotion?
Phuay Li Ying (PLY): For me, the medium is always secondary to the idea. Everything starts from the artwork first, and then I think about how it should live—whether that is on fabric, an object, or something else entirely. I’ve come to see myself more as an artist rather than someone tied to a single material. Each medium behaves differently. Fabric, for example, has movement and fluidity, so the artwork changes once it is worn or in motion. And it doesn’t always have to be painted art. It could be sculptural or embroidery, as long as it is an expression of Ying in a creative form.
GS: What kinds of stories feel most important for you to tell right now?
PLY: A lot of what I’m exploring now comes from everyday life—motherhood, travel, and even the mundanity of daily moments. I’ve become more intentional about creating pieces that hold meaning, whether tied to a memory, a place, or a feeling. There’s also an increasing awareness of Singapore and identity in my work, and what it means to create something rooted here.
Much of my work today comes through bespoke commissions. People bring pieces that are deeply personal to them, like old wedding dresses or garments with sentimental value. One piece that stood out was for a client who breeds her own orchids. She had named them after her children and wanted them painted onto denim. It turned out to be one of the most challenging works I’ve done. It’s easy to paint something like that on paper, but on fabric—especially denim—I had to layer repeatedly to achieve the detail. It took hours to get it right.
GS: What does “craft” mean to you in an age where so much is digitised and fast-paced?
PLY: Craft, to me, is about time, intention and skill. Painting on fabric cannot be replicated easily. The paint I use is permanent, so there is no room for error. One mistake, and I have to discard the fabric. What people don’t realise is that the hardest part is not the flower—it’s the stem. Drawing a straight line on soft fabric with a soft brush is extremely difficult. The moment the line breaks, it becomes very obvious, and correcting it takes a lot of control and patience. In a fast-paced world, craft becomes even more important because it represents something slower and more considered—something that holds value beyond the final product.
GS: How do you define success in your practice today? Has that definition changed over time?
PLY: My definition of success has definitely shifted. In the past, it was about building something visible and scalable. Now, it’s about creating work that feels meaningful, both to me and to the people who engage with it. I’m also focused on building something that lasts. I think of it as a modern heirloom—prints that echo my practice, my growth as an artist, and that can last for generations. Not just something people buy, but something they keep and connect with.
GS: What makes a collaboration meaningful to you?
PLY: A meaningful collaboration is one where the work can genuinely come to life in a new context. I see my work as something that can translate across different platforms, whether that is a product, a space, or an experience. In March, I collaborated with Shangri-La Singapore and United Women Singapore on a participatory artwork where guests were invited to contribute to the piece. What matters most is alignment—not just aesthetically, but also in what the collaboration is trying to create or communicate.
GS: Where do you see World of Ying evolving in the next few years?
PLY: I see World of Ying evolving into a broader, lifestyle-driven platform. Right now, I’m working towards bringing the art into different aspects of daily life, from textiles to homeware and objects, so that people can experience it beyond a single piece.
Longer-term, I want to create something more immersive, where everything—from spaces to objects—reflects a consistent artistic language. I hope for scale to come from more B2B projects, and perhaps, eventually, a platform where I can also help bring other artists’ work to life.
A version of this story originally appeared in the May 2026 issue of GRAZIA Singapore.
