I learned ballet for 14 years, from when I was four to when I went to university. Ballet was a huge part of my childhood and adolescent life – we’re talking going to practice four times a week. I actually wanted to be a ballerina when I was a child.
I was born in the United States, raised in Hong Kong and went to university in the UK, and we also used to go there on holiday. The first ballet I ever watched was in London. It was produced by the Royal Ballet.
I was around 10. Obviously I didn’t really understand the story at that age, but I loved the outfits, the elegance, the music, the feeling when you go in there and everyone seems so serious – and I was in awe of how the dancers were on the stage. Seeing the dancers, I thought they were so beautiful.
They wear a lot of chiffon, flowing stuff, and I’m drawn to that. It triggered me to start what I’m doing now. A lot of the designs are influenced by the elegance of ballet.
We try to design pieces that are comfortable – which is important for dancers but also for modern-day women, especially in Hong Kong’s scorching hot weather. We actually have a lot of clients wear them for dancing: the high slit and stretchy, breathable fabric make it easy for them to move. With a background in dance, I understand that myself.
I want my clients to feel comfortable and confident when they wear qipaos, similar to how a ballerina is when on stage. Being someone from Hong Kong, it was cool to see how they integrated all these cu.