Animated Tee Shirts: Interview with Julian Ngui and Wenee Yap
1 | 2
Wenee and Jules
Photographer: Aujan
Rattley
Graduate Certificate in Media Arts and Production (MAP) student Julian Ngui and fifth year Writing and Cultural Studies/Laws student Wenee Yap are a stylish and savvy pair to be reckoned with.
Having established their own "cheerful design brand," Catfox Design in May 2007 the pair's online tee shirt business which originated from one of Ngui's short animations has blossomed since its establishment in 2007, with a growing fan base and steady stream of orders from all over the world including America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
It's a far cry from doodling in notebooks as a child. For a project that he "never really intended to become as big as it is now," Julian says that Catfox Design was born almost on a whim.
"One day, I just decided 'why don't I start selling tee shirts?' I didn't have anything concrete prepared so I went back to one of my old animations and just pulled characters out and put them on tee shirts.
"I thought, 'this is a pretty interesting idea' - putting characters on tee shirts, each of them having a little story with them - and it just got bigger from there."
As the label manager for Catfox Design, Yap says, "it was a throwaway comment in the street actually. We were walking along and I said 'your designs are really good'.
Designer/animator for the brand, Ngui says that his designs which "specialize in the cute, quirky and colourful" are aimed at a broad market, rather than at a specific group of people.
"Ever since I was young, I have loved drawing and creating new things, and over the years this has not changed. I have a huge interest in animation and character design, with a focus on Disney styles and Japanese anime.
"I have a firm belief that not all things child-like are always childish and can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and I do my utmost to reflect this in my creations."
1 | 2