wongxye@gmail.com
+1 (857)-225-5564

Brands

I am Elsa Wong, a set designer, photographer, filmmaker, and art director based in New York City.


For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with the art of image-making, crafting surreal compositions within the confines of a frame. My background in drama and ballet shaped my understanding of movement and expression, fueling my love for storytelling. Over time, I gravitated toward fashion photography, and through hands-on experience, I found myself drawn to set and prop design. Building surreal landscapes for characters to exist in became my way of pushing narratives beyond the ordinary.

My first set design installation was showcased at Dover Street Market, marking a significant moment in my career. In 2019, I started as the head photographer for the Singapore-based fashion collective Youths In Balaclava, where my first campaign for them debuted at their Spring/Summer 2020 showroom at Paris Fashion Week. Within a year, I became their Head of Visual Communications, shaping the brand’s visual identity through art direction, photography, and installations. My work has been featured in i-D, V-MAN, HYPEBEAST, and more, reaching audiences across fashion, arts, music, film, and culture.

This led to a deeper dive into set design, where I began creating commissioned work, including my first pieces for Female Magazine Singapore’s September 2020 issue. I continued to design sets for music videos, editorials, and brand campaigns. One of the most ambitious projects was Made With Passion, Singapore’s nationwide brand launch in 2021, where I created 30 custom sets featuring products from over 100 brands.

I believe my work extends beyond still imagery. Whether it’s set design, prop-making, photography, or filmmaking, I see these mediums as interconnected, each contributing to a larger narrative. This perspective naturally led me to filmmaking, allowing me to merge my love for performance and moving images. My short films premiered on NOWNESS ASIA, Fifth Wall Philippines, VAEFF New York, Asian Film Archive, and Ngilngig Asian Fantastic Film Festival, each pushing stories, visuals, and ideas that linger long after the screen fades to black. I am charged to see where the next frame takes me.

2024

Han Nefkens Foundation – Southeast Asian Video Art Production Grant - Finalist

Ngilngig Asian Fantastic Film Festival - Official Selection, ‘hardboil, soft centre’

VAEFF New York - Official Selection, ‘Softshell and Feeders’

Fifth Wall Philippines - NOWNESS ASIA Curation, ‘Softshell and Feeders’

Asian Film Archive SG SHORTS - Official Selection, ‘hardboil, soft centre’

2023

*SCAPE MOV:MENT Lab - Selected Participant

NOWNESS ASIA, Just Dance Series - Featured Submission, ‘Softshell and Feeders’

2022

SHOWstudio, Fashion Film Showcase - Selected film, ‘In Pursuit Of Temples In The Sky’

Awards and Features

Press