Women Reimagining Our World: On Ying Lai

The art and process of conceiving and creating the objects we use, the clothes we dress in, and the buildings we live in and admire affect much of what we see and do. In this series, we rounded up seven local female designers – women whose work has enhanced our lives, and we think may do the same for you.

Below, we discover designs from On Ying Lai, a fashion designer and co-founder of Yat Pit.

In Conversation with On Ying Lai

Tell us a bit about your background. How did you get into design?

Growing up in my parents’ children’s-wear store, I was surrounded by clothes since I was young. My father taught me how to appreciate fashion and I followed my dream to become a fashion designer by studying fine arts in the US; I then continued my fashion education at the London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martins.

Who are your greatest influences in design?

I’m inspired by people on the street, and especially those around Sham Shui Po. I enjoy their authentic style – they don’t follow trends but their hearts and needs. In a more traditional sense, my fashion heroes are René Magritte and Martin Margiela.

What is your design philosophy?

The Yat Pit brand represents my partner, Jason Mui, and myself as designers. We design timely clothing with a strong Chinese heritage, but it’s also about the creative people we collaborate with, and the presentations we’ve done that contribute to the story. We use fashion as a medium to paint the message we want to send to our audience. Now, we’re working on our third collection and setting up our online shop.