Eva Chen

“You could be an 18-year-old girl in Tokyo wondering how you could ever break into fashion or beauty, so you follow your favourite designer or editor, see what their day comprises, where they go, who they meet, how they do it... If I were setting up my own label today, I would definitely do it through Instagram.”

“Think about what you like and then think about why - was it the shape? The hem length? And then repeat over and over until you find your signature style. And if you ever get sick of your signature style... change it! That's the beauty of fashion.”

“A good attitude is really important. And a sense of optimism, someone who has ideas and isn't afraid to pitch them no matter what level she is. Someone who is proactive. Someone with efficiency and common sense. They don't always go hand-in-hand, common sense and, well, everything else.”

“I was very focused on school. No social life whatsoever.”

“We're a show-and-tell generation. People want to see behind the scenes. The more involved and invited they are, the closer affinity they have to your brand.”

“When my alarm goes off between 6 to 6:30 A.M, the first thing I do is reach for my phone. I look at Twitter to see the headlines. It's become my news aggregator. Then I check my Instagram.”

“This is so cliche and cheesy but so true - seeing how happy people get if you A. give them a beauty product or B. give them a tip that works. There's such joy in finding a good beauty product.”

“The new generation of designers, like Prabal Gurung and Alexander Wang, have hundreds of thousands following them on social media who will probably never be able to afford their dresses but still feel a loyalty to them. So when that designer writes a book or launches a beauty line, they might pick that up.”

“I've been trying out all these bronzers, and By Terry has an amazing one called the Bronze Expert.”

“I would say I am unapologetically nerdy. I was always a little awkward.”

“It's more instructive to learn what you don't like than just to like everything.”

“I bought my first pair of pointy-toed Miu Miu shoes with a kitten heel from Barneys. They were $200, and it was a big deal. I wore them with a pleated black Benetton skirt and a white shirt. I looked like a waitress.”

“My advice for young people is, study what you love and intern in what you want to do. And I think it's okay to pivot as many times as you need to.”

“I use pure acetone Nail Polish Remover from Nails Inc. to really strip the nail. It's actually important to dehydrate your nail a little bit to get rid of all of the oil before you put color on; then the color will really stick. Then, I use OPI Bond Aid. It's a liquid dehydrator that you paint onto each nail.”

“During Fashion Week, I tend to do a gel manicure because it's easier.”

“My work life is pretty much the opposite of what you would expect.”

“Fashion appeals to everyone... Everyone gets into it.”

“I finish off my manicure with Dior's Gel Coat, which has a thicker consistency than most top coats. It dries quickly and leaves your nails really shiny.”

“Working at 'Harper's' was an awakening experience for me. I genuinely enjoyed the process of putting together a fashion magazine.”

“There's a curiosity about what magazine editors do, the behind-the-curtain experience.”