Beijing holds a special place for me. While I never lived here until this September, it’s where my family is from and it’s where I feel more at home than anywhere else in the world. For this reason, I find discovering special places extremely gratifying. The Waldorf Astoria Hotel Beijing has been one of my favorite finds so far.

As an introverted art-lover and no-colour-wearer, I felt immediately at home. Upon entering, I felt removed from the bustling Wangfujing pedestrian shopping street nearby. The last time I felt like I was in a special place was back in Vienna.

Waldorf Astoria also offers a private Hutong Courtyard, linked to the main hotel building by an underground passage. This is a more luxurious and elegant option for travellers looking for a more personal and exclusive experience of Beijing.

The hotel features meticulously curated artwork by both Chinese and international contemporary artists, showcasing Beijing’s cultural identity, juxtaposed with contemporary gestures to its modern sophistication.

My favourite piece is ‘Palace Servant’ by Ling Jian, a large-scale oil painting 300cm in diameter.

The Waldorf Astoria Beijing is not Louis Vuitton – it’s Maison Martin Margiela. The space holds itself with calm grandeur and contemporary elegance that I hope transcends from its walls and into the rest of the city.

I found out about the brand LOW CLASSIC through Instagram and was immediately taken. Effortless styling and minimal makeup. Cool without trying.

Beijing Design Week is underway and we’re nestled in our hutong space with a lot of green plants, cacti and postcards. Grandma’s legit vintage shirt seemed like an appropriate uniform of choice the other day. I’m on the way to becoming a true Beijinger! Maybe not – I still hate queues and crowds. We’re collaborating with Yetang.com and stocking some of their monochrome pieces so come haaaang. If you use ‘KNEON’ at checkout you can get 30RMB off!

KNEON MAGAZINE X YETANG.COM SHOWROOM
Yang Mei Zhu Xie Jie no. 92, Beijing

A bit of a throwback from New York when I shot Lola for KNEON in a secret-esque garden wearing the best color palette i.e. color in the miniest dose. Another team was shooting in the same garden space, and the stylist was sassy and loud and was gloating about some fashion show that had taken place there the previous year that he attended. On our way out, he asked Lola: ‘So did you model at that show?’ Without looking at him, she replied ‘Not yet.’ And walked off. All the best at NYFW, my girl.

Model, Lola @ Wilhelmina NY
Styling and makeup by Rashida Bishop
Photographed by me