Left: Sylvia L.
Right: Wai Ying A.Y.
2.What kind of camera do you use?
Sylvia: Canon Ixus 1000 HS
Canon EOS 1000 D
Wai Ying: Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-T70
3. Ethnicity?
We are both from Chinese descent.
4. How did your addiction start?
Sylvia: I got it from my momma! Yes, I got a pretty fashionable mom, that's where I've inherited my fashion sense from. In my later teen years I got approached by a model agency which inspire me to wear my best clothes on a daily basis. When I was finally an adult I worked in a retailstore (COS) on saturdays. I started at the mens department which gave me a total other perspective on clothes and people. f.ex. how men shop, how to style men and even learnt how do a windsor knot! One of my ex-collegue of that department was a fashion student and he asked me to model for his show. So I did and I walked my first runway show in an art gallery. I was so fascinated about how the designers worked and how they prep their models that I began reading more online magazines, blogs etc. After two years I was transferred to the ladies department. Through my inspirations of blogs, co-workers and magazines, I could style my Belgian and Dutch clients in an other way than the regular client/ store would here in the Benelux. I've learned to see clothes in another perspective. If you would see me shopping, you would probably think that I'm crazy cause I always tend to touch the fabric first then I would look at the tag for the combination of materials, looking at the details, etc. I think it's because of my profession deformation. Haha!
Wai Ying: Along came my addiction? Well, when I was little (read: nursery school) my mum used to dress me up like a little china doll. My clothes were super cute, my hair was always perfectly done; it was always braided and my mother loved to stick some accessory flowers in my hair. My teachers always called me "a little Chinese barbie". But things changed when I turned 9 years old. I was so sick of it that my mother was still doing my hair, I just hated it because my head hurt so much everytime she took out the flowers, the bobby pins and the loops. I hated it that I always had to watch where I went, through what I went, because my hair could easily be ruined (I just had like some art work on my head; not that it was ugly, it was just very uncomfortable at that age because kids like to play). I used to wear those tight pants with lots of floral designs; like cherries, sun flowers etc. By the time I turned 9, I really thought I looked stupid, because every other girl in my class room was wearing jeans, I don't know, they just looked older than me, and you can guess it; I wanted to look like that too. So, I told my mum, "I'm old enough to do my own hair and to choose my own clothes, because none of my class mates are still getting dressed by their parents." My mum was kind of okay with it, she didn't say much. So I had my own will, my own taste (little did I know that I really looked ugly in those clothes) and I was happy. But the older I got, the more I realised that I was nothing compared to the other girls in my class room. They all got 'un petit copain'. I didn't know if it was me or my origin, I just needed some confidence so I began to dress up. By that time I was in my 1st year of secondary school. My clothes didn't really fit my age so I went shopping with my mum. I got my first designer jeans and it felt like a God sent gift. I was ecstatic and only wanted more and more; more good stuff and more beautiful stuff! So I bought myself more and more designer clothes; I found that my designer clothes were a treasure; so I keep them and NEVER throw them away (even when they are worn out or too small). And yes, every single time I bought a piece, I was happy. Most of the time I went shopping with my mum cause she likes to pay for my clothes, I don't know why. But she gives me advice and that comes in very handy, because she can really combine clothes! I can kind of say that my mother and I have the same style, we both like to look sophisticated. That's why you won't often see me wear very loose-fitting clothes, I like them tight, HAH! Anyway, I continued buying expensive clothes until my parents told me that I was sick in my mind to buy so many stuff. Yes, I do feel bad when they say something like that, but I cannot give up the shopping. So the only thing I can do is to control myself not buying too expensive things or even too many. That's my story of how I became a fashion addict, quite a story, isn't it?
5. Daily life?
Sylvia: I'm a full-time marketing student. I've previous worked almost 4 years in the retail business as an sales assistant in COS. What I loved the most was meeting all kinds of interesting people. In the fitting rooms I would style some clients from head to toe, which was absolutely like a dream. During my spare time I love to go shopping and read blogs.
Wai Ying: I am a full-time law student at the university of Antwerp. When I'm not studying I have to work at home at my parents' Chinese restaurant. So, when I do have some free time I love to go shopping, read magazines, play the piano, bake cakes and cookies (everything with sugar in it!) or sing. I absolutely love singing (sometimes out of key, but I do love singing! I sing almost EVERYTHING!).
6. How tall are you?
We are both petite girls.
Sylvia: I'm 164cm (5ft3)
Wai Ying: I'm 150cm (4ft9)
7. Where do you mostly shop?
We mostly shop in Antwerp city. Our favorite stores are: Anne Fontaine, BCBG Maxazria, Carré (Herentals), Cos, Cosi Cosi, H&M, Mango, Mer Du Nord, NewParisLondres, Princess, Sandro, Trent, Tiffany's (St-Niklaas), Timmermans (St-Niklaas), Urban Outfitters and Zara.
