Classy halo
Eleen Yong finds joy in stretching out inside the Lexus LS 460L.
She is 179cm tall and seemingly moulded for the job so it may surprise some that Eleen Yong never intended to be a model but an accountant.
“I liked accountancy and the subject was a much safer career opportunity,” the graduate of commerce and accounting from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman said in an interview.
Though friends had been pestering her for a long time, it was a remark from her lecturer that got her on the path of clicking cameras and flashing lights.
In fact, it was just after her exams that she received the seemingly dismaying advice from her lecturer that she “shouldn’t study anymore”.
“At first, I thought he meant that I had failed my exams as I was not among the best students. Scoring high marks was usually difficult for me.
“Later I found out that I had not failed my exams and my lecturer meant that I should take advantage of my height and try out modelling especially since I am still young,” said Eleen.
She credits her height to her six-footer dad. The former Kuen Cheng Girls’ High School student also represented both her school and state in volleyball tournaments during her secondary school days.
While dabbling in modelling, Eleen had the opportunity to meet Simone Teh, a well-known modelling teacher, who taught her all about runway strutting.
Her first runway show was the Malaysia International Fashion Show 2008 and since then, Eleen has participated in Ford Supermodels of the World Malaysia competition 2009 where she emerged first runner-up.
She also won the Miss Malaysia International Model of the Year 2009.
Her resume includes names of high fashion brands like Gucci, DKNY, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Fendi, Kenzo, L’Oreal and Omega Watches.
The beauty pageants and runway shows have also taken her to China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore and Italy. Her latest international event was the Sakura
Collection fashion and arts show in Kansai, Japan, held last week.
“Acting is the next thing I would like to try out upon reaching the close of my modelling career,” she said.
Her frame allows her to meet the minimum height requirement of 178cm for a runway model in the international arena.
This height advantage also gave her an opportunity to do a three-month modelling stint in Milan, one of the world’s fashion capital.
“I was looking forward to the job as it was in June, summer time in Italy where the weather
will be warm,” said the 26-yearold Klang Valley girl who prefers warm weather.
But things turned out much different than what Eleen expected once she got there.
“While many of us from the tropics will expect summer in temperate countries to be hot, the weather in Italy was still quite cold to me,” she laughs.
Doing a seaside shoot for an Italian gym equipment maker in Cesena, Eleen had to don a bikini, do a bit of surfing and run along the beach in the wee hours of the morning.
“Although this was supposed to be summer and hot, the sea water was still freezing cold.
It was a good outing for her nevertheless so Eleen has been offered another assignment in Milan in January.
“Wow! January is going to be winter and even colder,” she laughs.
Used to the dimensions of her relatively spacious Hyundai i30, we decided to pamper Eleen with Lexus Malaysia’s latest flagship model line up – the LS 460L.
I have never sat inside a car that has this much electronics where almost everything can be adjusted at a push of a button.
— ELEEN YONG
She was quite in awe over the Japanese luxury limousine.
“I have never sat inside a car that has this much electronics where almost everything can be adjusted at a push of a button.
She said that in addition to the luxuriously trimmed interior, the LS 460L also has generous rear legroom for tall passengers.
“Sitting in this car makes you feel like a VVIP, especially with the multi-adjustable and reclineable rear seats with massaging feature,” she said.
She also likes the large nineinch rear entertainment monitor.
The LS 460L is powered by a 4.6-litre V8 engine that delivers 380 bhp for exhilarating performance as well as an intelligent adjustable suspension system for a smooth ride.
In addition, Eleen said the leather seats of the Lexus were very comfortable and the car drives very smooth and quiet.
“I don’t think I have ever been in a vehicle that is this classy and refined,” she said.
At a price of RM882,000, she feels it will remain out of reach for quite a while though.
“But even getting a brief opportunity in one such car is exciting enough,” she said.