Cartier jewellery, Cartier timepieces &mdash; Alyssa Safura, Natalie Prabha and Wei Jun wear them their way, pushing back against the old roles of modelling with nothing but presence and originality.&nbsp;

For the longest time, modelling has been associated with narrow ideals in terms of height and symmetry. It was a role reserved for bodies that felt more sculpted than lived in. Today, especially in Malaysia, a new generation is shifting the lens. Alyssa Safura, Natalie Prabha and Wei Jun are part of that change, carving space for individuality in an industry once defined by uncompromising uniformity.

Alyssa&rsquo;s path was instinctive. In 2023, after a haircut gone wrong, she shaved her head and bleached her buzzcut and brows. The upshot was stark and electric, giving her a look that turned heads. &ldquo;That spontaneous decision gave me this striking look,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;It ended up becoming the catalyst for my career.&rdquo; If Wei Jun&rsquo;s path was orchestrated, Alyssa&rsquo;s was impulsive. Having said that, both broke through by daring to be unfiltered.
Natalie didn&rsquo;t plan on this life either. &ldquo;Not at all, hahaha. Modelling was never part of my career plans back then,&rdquo; she says. But once onboard, she found unexpected freedom. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s exciting to have the freedom to shift, to play, to reinvent myself every single day. I feel like a different character in different outfits.&rdquo;
Wei Jun&rsquo;s start, by contrast, felt improbable. Two years ago, a casting for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week led to his runway debut, which paved the way for campaigns and editorials to emerge with remarkable speed. He admits he once believed the stereotypes himself &mdash; that a model had to be tall, fair, and almost unnaturally lean. What surprised him most was discovering how much the industry had evolved. It&rsquo;s more about presence than being polished. &ldquo;I realised the industry was changing,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;People wanted something real, something authentic.&rdquo;

They approach fashion with respect while having fun. For Wei Jun, it&rsquo;s a form of liberation, much like a way of translating emotions too complex for words. His connection feels contemplative, almost meditative. Natalie finds joy in the constant reinvention, in clothes that transform her into someone new while Alyssa thrives on its inherent energy: creativity, art, and high drama. She craves the avant-garde, the chance to see boundaries fractured and rebuilt. Together, they remind us that fashion is less about aesthetics than about instinct, about what happens when expression meets fabric.
Though the challenges have been unflinching. Wei Jun recalls the early days when he punished his body in pursuit of a &ldquo;perfect&rdquo; form, starving himself until his health collapsed. His perspective now is more shaped by endurance rather than desperation. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not about looking good for a moment,&rdquo; he reflects. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s about staying here for the long run.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Alyssa&rsquo;s struggle has been external &mdash; the constant criticism aimed at her body for not conforming to conventional measurements. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve had to fight to prove there isn&rsquo;t just one way to be a model,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;Everyone is unique, and that deserves to be celebrated.&rdquo; Although their battles differ, they confront the same entrenched demand for conformity. Natalie faced the same scrutiny. &ldquo;Mainly issues about my weight. At the beginning, it felt like my worth as a model really depended on the measurements of my body. But things have shifted &mdash; the industry is slowly becoming more open-minded, and I&rsquo;ve also practiced better self-love.&rdquo;

Palpably, their influences reveal what they value. Wei Jun gravitates toward Rick Owens, whose bold, sculptural silhouettes and unrepentant vision feel at once austere and radical. Alyssa champions Huntilanak, whose debut at KLFW married Malaysian culture with contemporary design. She opened their show in character as a demon slayer, revelling in its theatricality. &ldquo;It was powerful, and honestly, so much fun,&rdquo; she says, recalling the adrenaline of the role. Natalie, on the other hand, grounds herself with brass cuffs and rings by Jess Boubie, cool items that feel personal rather than ornamental.

Outside the spotlights, their wardrobes are quieter. Wei Jun prefers sharp tailoring chosen with care, pieces that feel light on the body but deliberate in intention. Alyssa moves between everyday pragmatism and sleek formality when it&rsquo;s called for, with hoops and nose rings as her constants. Natalie&rsquo;s style is, in her words, &ldquo;laidback and repetitive,&rdquo; an ease that reflects self-acceptance more than performance.
They all speak about the future of Malaysian fashion with optimism. Wei Jun sees a clear move toward Asian representation on runways once dominated by Western faces. Alyssa hopes younger talents get more chances to prove themselves whereas Natalie thinks the scene is only at the start of what it could be. &ldquo;I think the local modelling scene is growing, but it still has room to be more inclusive and open-minded. There&rsquo;s so much untapped talent here, and I&rsquo;d love to see more diversity &mdash; not just in faces, but in stories and perspectives.&rdquo;

Their stories sketch out a common idea: modelling here isn&rsquo;t about sculpting yourself into a role anymore. It&rsquo;s about presence, honesty, and daring. Three models, three unlikely beginnings, one unflinching truth &mdash; fashion is no longer about the mould. It&rsquo;s about the people who are brave enough to break it.

Cover Credits:
Photography Chee Wei Creative direction and styling Colin Sim Words John Ng Makeup Sharman Yee / Plika Makeup Hair&nbsp;Keith Ong&nbsp; Manicure Polish Nail All watches and jewellery Cartier

Cover Story: Alyssa Safura, Natalie Prabha and Wei Jun break the frame

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