Fashion style entrepreneur, designer | Paji

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Fashion entrepreneur, designer | PUPUPEPE

The PUPUPEPE website was established in 2007 and has accumulated over ten years of experience in the fashion industry. The website has over 50 million clicks, and VOGUE Taiwan reported that PUPUPEPE is "the most popular digital platform in Taiwan today," making it one of the most influential digital opinion leaders in Taiwan.

The experience of studying and working in Japan and London renders two completely different urban fashion cultures, shaping the brand in an imaginative way to create a unique and sleek elegant style. It has been reported by over 20 domestic and international media outlets, including VOUGE and ELLE, deeply ingraining its image in the fashion industry. With passion and sensitivity towards fashion, it has become a favorite fashion blogger in the Taiwanese boutique fashion scene.

PUPUPEPE has multiple identities, being a fashion entrepreneur as well as a clothing designer. In 2017, it was selected by the Hong Kong magazine Legend as one of the "Top 50 Digital Influencers in Asia." In recent years, it has frequently participated in international fashion weeks and is active in both Taiwan and the international stage.

Q & A

Q: How do you start your day?

A: I usually wake up in a hurry in the morning. Before heading out, I drink olive oil because I want to do some health management due to my poor digestion. After arriving at the office, I brew a cup of coffee to wake myself up, and then I have a meeting with my team to discuss our work schedule.

Q: Where do you usually hang out the most?

A: I spend quite a long time in the studio, which is near Dongmen Station. The places I often walk around are quite fixed, mostly in Da'an District and Xinyi District, especially when going out or having meetings with clients, attending brand events, or taking photos, most of the time it's around the Xinyi shopping district. Today is quite an exception, I went to the new Yih Hotel in Zhongshan District, which is a bit different from the usual places I go!

What is your favorite restaurant?

A: The "les piccola" near the studio is known as the Little Paris of Jinhua Street. The restaurant's atmosphere feels like being in the romance and elegance of Paris, and it is both photogenic and delicious. I highly recommend the "Cream Honey Banana Cheese Pancake," made fresh upon order, paired with a latte for the perfect afternoon tea combination. les piccola Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/lespiccola

There is also an Italian restaurant "DiVino," opened by an Italian, located near Xinyi Anhe Station. The chef occasionally provides table-side service and sometimes toasts with you, creating a very pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. The Dry-Aged Ribeye steak is served with lettuce and potato wedges, soaked in the steak's juices, delicious!! DiVino Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/divinotaipei

Q: What is your entertainment after work?

A: Watching dramas, mostly American dramas, recently watching "America's Next Top Model" which I love!! Recently got hooked on a game called "Identity V", and even forced my colleagues to download it to play (laughs). After work or on holidays, I try to stay away from crowded places, I don't really go shopping, I prefer to stay at home where I can relax more.

What book have you read recently? What insights or thoughts did you have after reading it?

A: "Thank you today as well! Creating miracles in management" Author: Yoshio Kobayashi

I feel that being a boss is quite difficult. After 2 to 3 years of starting a business, I am still learning how to be a good boss and a good manager. This book generally talks about a supervisor who is referred to by subordinates as a "devil manager" and a "cold-blooded person." This management style leads to a high employee turnover rate, widespread complaints, and a gloomy work atmosphere, which made him decide to make a change. This also makes me pay extra attention to the "human connection" aspect, handling things from a more comprehensive perspective, starting from the employees' standpoint, and whenever I have free time, I make sure to chat with colleagues and care about everyone's feelings.

Q: Recommended styles that girls must have in their wardrobe.

A: "White shirt," usually made of chiffon or linen fabric, has a certain luster and is very wrinkle-resistant. Nowadays, people are very busy and have no time to iron clothes, especially for office workers, they can conveniently grab it and wear it. In addition, for the "pencil skirt," I recommend buying printed or brightly colored fabrics, so it won't look like a boring office worker and will add some highlights to the overall look.

Essential items to bring when going out?

A: "Ring", as long as there is no ring for a day, I feel uncomfortable all over, it feels like a talisman to me.

Q: The transition from a corporate worker to a full-time "fashion blogger"?

A: I worked as a salaried employee for three years, and then I started my own online selection store, where I create and design my own clothing. Every month, I specially select home goods and fashion accessories from Europe and Japan. The first three months went smoothly, but after half a year, I found it quite tough. As a first-time boss, my understanding of the market and internal management was not comprehensive. For two years, I completely did not take a salary; having a stable income is still very important. I can hold on for a year or two, but can I continue like this in the future? In the end, I had to painfully end it. During this period, I kept writing blogs and taking on projects, thinking, why not turn my interest into work?! Since I started as an office worker, I would ask my colleagues to take photos for me during lunch and write outfit posts to share. Later, when I went to Japan as an exchange student and studied in the UK, I continued to manage my blog. I found that I have a great interest in this area, which generates a lot of passion to drive you forward, to share and learn, and not to limit what you can do. Because I am not alone now, having a team makes me want to find ways to take on projects or try cross-disciplinary collaborations, allowing the team to grow together and see more things as much as possible.

Q: You are also considered a slash youth. The slash generation is the future trend in the workplace. What advice do you have for slash youths?

A: To me, being a slash youth is not about having several part-time jobs, but rather about not settling for a mundane and busy life, maximizing the value of what you love, and not just being about multiple incomes or identities. The most important aspect of being a slash is a lifestyle attitude. No matter what you do, "you must truly understand what you want." Extend outward from your area of expertise and develop in multiple directions. I believe that slash youth must pay attention to building a solid foundation, not trying to do everything and ending up not being proficient in anything, and always be prepared to seek opportunities to take initiative.

Q: What do you think is the most interesting or attractive place in Taiwan?

A: Taipei is very interesting, like a city that never rests, with 24-hour massage, hot pot restaurants open until midnight, and congee shops on Fuxing South Road, while many places abroad close early. If you have time, I recommend starting from Xindian, walking the Yinhe Cave Ridge Trail to the Zhanghu Trail, and finishing at "Maokong" or "Longmen Inn" to have some tea and enjoy the scenery. Then take the Maokong Gondola down the mountain; the whole trip makes for a good sleep at home (laughs). Remember to wear non-slip shoes while walking the trail, as you will pass by a waterfall where the mist is heavier, and the ground around it can be slippery, so be careful.

Maokong Gondola websitewww.gondola.taipeiDragon Gate Innlongmenrestaurant.my-free.website

Q: What are you most looking forward to when staying at a hotel?

A: Looking forward to the delicious restaurants and overall design presentation of the hotel. In terms of accommodation choices, I usually prefer design hotels, which are more surprising to me.

Q: What is your impression of the hotels under the Taipei Hotel Group?

A: The Dandy Hotel, the one near Daan Forest Park, is very close to my studio!! A few times when I passed by, I saw the window display and the lobby art installations incorporating green plants, which made the overall atmosphere very comfortable, even cooling down during the hot summer. The new hotel on Fuxing North Road has a unique exposed concrete architecture, sleek and minimalist yet with a sense of design, making the overall visual feel very spacious.