As I flipped through the layout of Ella Yam’s cover story for the first time in the office, my eyes kept searching for one specific photo. During our conversation back in October, she had spoken about it with such enthusiasm and excitement that I could almost picture the scene: Ella, dressed in a billowing gown, balancing on the edge of a chair on one foot – on tiptoe- while stretching out her other leg. In my head, it was a pose that was as graceful as it was daring, somewhat reminiscent of a sculpture.

And there it was. The photo, exactly as she had described. It looked effortless, as though the demands of holding her body in such a position simply didn’t exist. Yet I knew better. Her words from our chat came flooding back to me: “It was really hard to balance, but I told myself, ‘I will do this no matter what. I’ll take as many shots as it takes to get the best one.’” She had shared this so candidly, almost as if the struggle was an afterthought.

But this photo captured so much more than just a pose — it held within it the quiet intensity of Ella’s resolve. Few of her peers could summon such grit, and fewer still would push themselves to the brink for the sake of one single shot.

It’s easy to see where this discipline and work ethic comes from — her parents: a renowned actor and a supermodel, both icons in their own right. But there is something deeper here, something that belonged to only Ella. It is her unrelenting drive — not just to meet her own standards, but to surpass them. Not just to be good, but to be exceptional. As the saying goes, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” And Ella’s will paves her way.

You starred on Vogue Hong Kong’s April 2019 cover with your mother Qi Qi Yam. Do you remember how you felt during that shoot? 

I was 14 and it was actually one of my first ever photo shoots. The night before, we met with the whole team. Honestly, I was super shy and nervous, but everyone was so welcoming and warm to me. It was the first time someone really taught me how to pose in front of a camera, and it was also the first time I felt so confident in front of a camera. When I was little, I was actually really afraid of the camera. Whenever someone came to take photos of me, I’d cover my face. I felt like my first Vogue Hong Kong cover shoot marked a breakthrough for me. After that experience, I fell in love with modelling. 

How does it feel now to become a Vogue HK cover star again in 2024? Were there any memorable moments or anecdotes from your latest cover shoot that you could share with us?

I’m so grateful and so honoured to be on the cover. I was just telling my mum that this is such a full-circle moment for me. I was 14 when I shot my first Vogue Hong Kong cover, and now I’m 19 and a totally different person. I’ve learnt so much, changed so much and accumulated so many more experiences in life that have shaped who I am today. Looking at photos from the two shoots is like seeing a reflection of my growth. 

One of the most memorable moments was shooting on this weirdly shaped, unstable chair. I was wearing this huge dress and had to stand on the chair on one foot while tip-toeing and sticking my other leg out. It was really hard to balance, but I told myself, “I will do this no matter what, and I will take as many shots as it takes to achieve the best shot.” 

What’s your favourite thing about modelling?

I love the performance aspect of modelling. As a model, I feel like I’m always performing. In a way, when I’m modelling, I’m creating a character and portraying one. 

What makes you feel confident?

Oh my god, I love this question. I always talk about this with my friends. There are two types of confidence. One is the surface-level type of confidence, where I feel confident because of a nice outfit or seeing the result of a good photoshoot. The second type of confidence for me is a deep, long-lasting one. It comes from the pursuit of knowledge, learning more and overcoming obstacles, knowing that you did your best and you did well.

When I went to summer school at Columbia during my first year of university, I took some higher-level courses — I was the only girl in my math class and the youngest in most classes. I was a week late for summer school due to my finals in the UK, and I was trying to catch up with my older classmates who were graduates and already working. It was basically a semester’s work condensed into six weeks, and it was really tough, but I pushed through. The feeling you get when you see your results and know that your persistence and your hard work paid off — this is what gives me confidence. 

Who are some of your role models in the fashion and modelling world? How have they influenced your approach to your career? 

My mum (Qi Qi Yam) — she’s like a given. Apart from that, it would be the 90s supermodels, especially Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford, because I feel like they are literally the epitome of beauty and brains. They’re not only two of the most beautiful women in the world, but they are also incredibly intelligent, and you can just tell their work ethic is insane — which is why they’ve created a long-lasting career in such a competitive field.