Hometown-
I grew up in Hong Kong. For about 6 years that was really my childhood home. My family moved around almost every other year due to my father's job. During the summers we would go back to Sarasota, Florida where my grandparents were. That's where we always had a home base.
How long have you been modeling?
Going on 8 years.
How have you seen social media affect the fashion industry?
Companies in the fashion industry, like all others have seen a decline in advertising dollars as the economy's crisis was in full swing. This left companies looking for new ways to reach their target audience while on their newly reduced budgets. Social media has been one solution. Not only does social media allow you to put out your brand's message, it encourages consumers to engage with the brands and give feed back.
Social media is something that in the last 2 years I've received a lot of encouragement to post more pictures on instagram and post more on twitter. I try to keep FaceBook for friends I went to school with or have met while traveling. However on Instagram, I like to post behind the scenes stuff while on set or some of the locations I've visited. But I also am more personal with the pictures I post, whether it is a motivational quote I'm really feeling or flying an airplane or a cool pair of shoes. As for Twitter, it gets a lot of the pictures I post as well but I like to engage with people on twitter. I had fans write me and say they've found a picture of me in a magazine in Korea or a billboard in Ecuador or even recognize me at an event. It's pretty amazing!
What has been the craziest shoot you've work on?
I literally just got back last week from a four day job in Scotland for Barbour. I've been fortunate to be working with them for a couple of seasons now and every time I'm simply blown away by the people and places they introduce me to. This time we were based out of this old lodge on a river outside of Inverness. The guestbook was filled with celebrities who had come to get away from it all. And I understand why: no cellphone service, no internet service, just the sound of the rushing river and crackle of the fireplace at night. Watching the haze burn off as the sun came up over the hills was truly special.
What do you do when you're not modeling?
I model full time and my agencies around the world keep me pretty busy. However, in my free time I love to cook elaborate meals, work out, and I'm also working on my pilot's license. I try to attend charity events when I'm in NY. Even just spending time with friends at a speakeasy is nice when you travel so much.
How do you stay fit?
From my days as an athlete, I've always loved olympic weightlifting. Free weights, TRX - standard gym stuff is good for aesthetics, but I can find it boring at times. When I found crossfit a year ago, it combined all of the things I loved and needed in a workout program. The biggest thing about staying fit is finding a balance in your life. Dieting and training 365 days a year is intense. You have to enjoy the process of getting and being fit; and sometimes that means indulging on your favorite sweet treat.
