EVERY so often, a Malaysian lass makes it beyond the local modelling scene and do us proud. Supermodels Ling and Amber Chia, for example, have made quite a name for themselves in the international circuit, while a slew of other models have had a measure of success regionally, most of whom are based in Hong Kong.

The latest model to follow their runway path of fame is Angie Ng, who’s also making waves in Hong Kong.

“I wouldn’t say I am based in Hong Kong. I am never in a country for more than two months anyway. I am here more often these days as I want to push my career further as a model. It’s also because my boyfriend is working here as well,” says Ng via e-mail.

She knows well that she’s a newbie on the scene there and it’s basically a survival of the fittest, but “you will never improve if everything is handed to you on a silver platter.”

Ng burst into prominence in Malaysia last April, when she appeared on the runway for STYLO Fashion Grand Prix (and clinched the Model of the Year award).

But, it wasn’t just any ordinary show as she was the model for Marko Mitanovski, the much talked about London-based avant garde designer of the moment (who has designed outfits for Lady Gaga). The designer has gone as far as to say that Ng was not just his “clothes hanger”, but also his muse. Since then, the two of them have become great friends who often work together and her picture can be seen on his business card.

The story of how a Penang girl ended up in London is one of fate and decisions.

Ng had tanned skin (as she was involved in the Girl Guides), and was a tall and “big” girl back in school. She took up ballet, modern, tap and jazz dance classes from the age of five.

“I was not always as slender as I am now. In fact, I was the laughing stock on many occasions when I was young. Sometimes, I could hear people calling me ‘giant’ or even ‘Godzilla’ behind my back,” says the 1.82m lanky beauty, whose competitive edge helped her clinch 9As in Form Five.

The 23-year-old Ng says even now, she still hangs out with a bunch of girlfriends from school (she rattles off seven names easily) whom she treasures and is in touch with. The model has two older siblings (a brother and a sister) whom she’s very close to. Her father passed away when she was 15 and she credits her mother, who works as a consulting director in a training centre, for making it possible for all the three of them to further their studies abroad (her siblings studied in Australia while she went to Britain).

A penchant for modelling runs in the family as her sister Mabel, Miss Malaysia World 2002, was also a model. Ng was spotted by well-known local designer Michael Ong who saw the then gawky 16-year-old at a mall in Penang. He introduced her to (established modelling agency owner) Cilla Foong who became her teacher, mentor and friend. Ng appeared in her first runway show for Ong at the Malaysian International Fashion Week in 2006.

Her family fully supported her decision to model on the side while pursuing her studies in Kuala Lumpur, on the condition that her studies came first. It certainly all worked out because she later received a place to study law at Reading, Berkshire in Britain.

Ng however, still harboured hopes of being a model and went around knocking on doors there.

“I was turned away many times and it made me feel down at times but then, I stumbled upon Bookings Models (in London), which is now my agency till today. They are like my family.”

The first booking she had was for a show for the London College of Fashion, which she found exhilarating. Despite the challenges of hierarchy and (slight) discrimination in London, Ng says she had more diversity in the type of bookings that came her way.

“I was given the chance to experience different kinds of castings that ranged from acting jobs to catwalk shows. It helped me grow as a model,” she adds.

Grow she did, as Mitanovski and his team went to her agency looking for a model for his campaign shoot outside of Covent Garden in London, and chose her. Initially, she was reluctant to take on the job as she had to pass up her law assignment the next day.

Missing classes was something she soon learnt that she would have to get used to. She made up for it though by working extra hard and ended up with an upper second-class honours degree!

There have been many other highlights in her relatively short career thus far. She was in the Halston New York Spring/Summer 2008 video and look book; DJ Ironik’s remix of Elton John’s Tiny Dancer’s music video; renowned London milliner Phillip Treacy’s ad campaign; and her images were splashed on big canvasses displayed in galleries in Beijing and Hong Kong for a charity auction event. She has also appeared in shows in Germany for Brigitte, a popular German woman’s magazine; L’oreal’s 100th anniversary celebration show in Paris; London Fashion Week and was the face of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur when it first opened.

She also found out the hard way that the modelling world is not all glamour as it involves a lot of hard work and some assignments can be quite difficult. A job for Agent Provocateur in London during Fashion Week proved to be extra tough as she had to stand outside their store dressed only in a skimpy lingerie in the freezing cold weather. Ng’s agency was apparently unaware of the exact nature of the assignment.

“There were cars stopping and people taking photos of me. A policeman even moved me to the other side of the road as I was causing a traffic jam. I felt really degraded as a model but I told myself I had to complete my job and be a professional,” she says.

The hardest part about being a model, Ng adds, is fighting stereotypes. She feels that sometimes, people see her as just a model and not as a person.

“The public thinks we’re in it to be popular. On top of that, they think models get into modelling because we can’t do anything else as we’re not very intelligent anyway. I’ve even met people who think models are on the brink of being a whore. These misconceptions really sadden me,” she exclaims.

As she doesn’t have her licence to practise law yet, Ng plans to stick to modelling to see where it takes her. With that in mind, she has been working closely with French photographer Laurent Segretiger on “arty” projects.

She is also excited to be the face of a new collection by a New York vintage designer/stylist that will be launched soon. (Ng declined to reveal more details.)

Ultimately, she wants “a successful little yoghurt shop (simply because I love yoghurt ice cream with fruit topping as it’s healthy and indulgent!), a comfortable home in a simple neighbourhood, and a happy and healthy family.”

This girl, who recently became an aunt for the third time, hopes to have two healthy children of her own.

When she’s not modelling or spending time with her boyfriend, she’s at home playing the guitar, dancing while doing housework; dabbling in Photoshop on the computer or playing games on her Xbox (Modern Warfare 2 is her game of choice); or listening to music while reading a book and enjoying a cup of good coffee!