Jenny Lai

Jenny Lai

Jenny Lai
RISD 2010
NOT

What are you currently up to?
I just finished showing my debut collection for SS12 last week, so I am following up on potential buyers, working on the company website, and beginning ideas for the next project.

Do you currently sell your collection somewhere?
Eva New York and End of Century both carry NOT and I’m very excited that I’ll be adding a stockist in Hong Kong next season.

Are you planning on showing next NYFW?
At the moment, yes, however I’m looking forward to pushing the presentation into new formats. If not New York, I may bring the collection to other cities such as Berlin or Japan, where I may find a market who better understands my aesthetic.

Who are 3 artists past or present who inspire you?
Designers Kawakubo, Yamamoto, and Watanabe always inspire me. They never stop searching for something that is meaningful. Their art is instinctive, clever, awe-inspiring.

I’ve always admired the career and lifestyle of Yo-Yo Ma, who has really experienced the world through his passion and talent. He doesn’t stay within the classical box, he has the hunger, flexibility, and skill to play contemporary, Brazilian, Chinese, popular film, even “rodeo” music with equal enthusiasm. I was so inspired by his bach suite video interpretations when I was introduced to them many years ago.

Where do you hope to be 3 years from now?
I hope to have developed the brand both artistically and more financially secure, so that it is flexible enough to be working in different countries, so that I am developing conversations and partnerships with exciting artists of all genres, and working with my own small team of talented and inspiring colleagues.

Props

• Interned in the womenswear and atelier departments of Viktor & Rolf in Amsterdam and Boudicca studio in London
• Featured as one of the Fashion Next designers by Elle Magazine and showed thesis collection at Lincoln Center during NYFW Sept 2010.