Chriselle Lim and Tina Leung Talk APIA Community, Friendship

TL: I’m Hong Kong-ese and mostly grew up in Hong Kong, so the Asian American experience is newer to me. In Hong Kong, we’re all mostly Asian in the fashion community there, so coming here, this community is like having a pocket of home away from home. Asians just get each other. We don’t even have to say that much, and it clicks. Particularly when I meet someone with an upbringing in Hong Kong or Asia, there are these childhood references and similar experiences with our parents that get you closer. The community is so warm, and they understand you like no one else.

Especially being at Fashion Week when things can be a little challenging or alienating — Fashion Week and fashion in general is not for the faint of heart — it’s comforting to understand each other without saying anything. And we love to eat. Our automatic response is feeding each other, right?

“You’re almost guaranteed to see one of us at a fashion event, and there’s comfort knowing that people who support you will be there.”

CL: Back in the day when I was getting started, I remember attending my first fashion event and feeling intimidated because I didn’t know anyone and not many people supported influencers. Now that we have this little community within the fashion industry, it gives me more confidence. You’re almost guaranteed to see one of us at a fashion event, and there’s comfort knowing that people who support you will be there. There’s a power in all of us supporting one another.

You feel less lonely being able to break bread with women who have a similar background as you. We’re able to talk about our upbringings without having to explain our cultural differences. Coming from Asian American immigrant parents, we all had a similar experience. Creativity is in our DNA, but our parents may not have allowed us to explore that, so we all get it. There’s a level of comfort there, of being able to understand and be seen by one another.

You can view the original article HERE.