Chiara has an eye for the chic

Among all the Chinese designers you interviewed, who impressed you the most?

I've had the opportunity to interview Christine Lau, a rising star in the Chinese fashion heaven: She is quiet, down-to-earth, playful and madly in love with her recently-married husband. Heading one of the most interesting and promising funny-chic labels in China, Chictopia, kind Christine is proof that people working in fashion don't need to be aggressive and unattainable to be successful. And, if I may add, that a kooky summer dress with a funny print can make a statement, a glamorous one in fact.

Who is your style icon?

Michelle Obama! A Harvard graduate, a role model for women and an advocate for a healthy diet and exercise. I love the way she uses social media to push the topics she believes in: her #gimmefive campaign on Instagram is raising awareness about the importance of active lifestyle and she has obtained millions of followers. She is the wife of the most powerful man in the world, yet she is close to people and doesn't mind dancing in front of a camera. Her style is fun and groundbreaking: She often wears sleeveless dresses, even on official occasions, and popping colors. She is a true source of inspiration.

How does your blog support your life?

So far, the blog is an independent platform and I don't make money from it. This offers me freedom and therefore the possibility to make a better product. Of course, I am also trying to find ways to make the blog "sustainable", and so far the visibility obtained has resulted in a few collaborations with online or paper magazines and consulting work. This wide range of experience makes me a fashion insider paired with the curiosity and desire, of your average outsider, to broaden my horizons. 

(China Daily 04/17/2015 page22)