A golden spare moment during Golden Week to update this site. I previously featured MS MIN before, but with her FW16 collection it just keeps getting better. New structure, avant-garde silhouettes, all black. My kinda paradise. Also, updates are coming in slow I know. Feeling finally settled in Beijing now so I’m being greedy and embracing life. I’m planning on more proper designer features – interviews, studio visits – and creative collabs so stay tooooned (and toned). Big love.

Wearing MS MIN FW16 blouse and dress

COS shirt and trousers, Ann Demeulemeester heels, Mansur Gavriel clutch, SUPER sunglasses.

Rings by Hannah Ren Jewellery, Topshop tank top, Zara jacket, Adidas sneakers

On Friday, I had a beautiful afternoon shooting, shadowing and talking about life and love with talented jewellery designer friend Hannah Ren. She recently designed a collection of signet rings for girls – with some badass quotes on them. And I just had to shoot something with her. So I visited Hannah at the factory where her designs are produced and we spent a lazy hutong afternoon wandering and shooting and talking about art and process. The photos turned out quite raw and unique to Beijing so I’m excited to show you guys in a later post.

That afternoon was a perfect reminder of why I’m doing all these ADD, OCD, and seemingly unrelated things. Talking with Hannah about her work and just hearing her share a portion of the vast knowledge she’s accumulated over the years, I realized that it’s this type of girltalk I love best. The world always needs more crazy talented people who just want to add some more meaning and beauty to the world, and I feel so so lucky whether one of these people let me in to see how their art is created.

Top from Topshop, trousers and slippers by Zara, and bag by Mansur Gavriel.It’s raining like a woman sobbing at a Japanese crying hotel today, but on Friday we were blessed with beautiful lighting when we shot at EAST Hotel Beijing. I stayed at the EAST in Hong Kong when I went in January, so it was interesting to compare these two sisters. The Beijing edition is younger, has more open space to work, read, and just rewind. Plus it’s smack next door to the 798 Art District which sets the tone for the classy-artsy types staying here. Tall ceilings and little working cubicles make this the perfect environment to catch up on emails and have some Cronuts.

Sidenote: am I the only one who did not know that Cronuts are a cross between donuts and a croissants. Because I totes thought they were a type of nut. Also, I saw Ai Wei Wei and his team working up on the second floor, but was mentally fangirling too hard to think of a functional way to say hi. Next time then.