Angel talk

You made your New York Fashion Week debut with the SS19 collection but the city has always been an influence on you.

Yes. I stayed there for a year before I graduated from Central Saint Martins. New York influenced and shaped me a lot. In the city, I discovered my favourite artists. The brand, Angel Chen, is very young and energetic, which I think is a good match with New York and New York Fashion Week.

Describe a typical work day for you in Shanghai.

I usually arrive at the company around ten in the morning. When I get there, about ten people crowd me, asking questions about design details, sales and public relations. We're now moving our office, so we're busy with purchasing and decorating. Pop-up invitations, the release of new collections and collaborations take up much of our time. I often skip lunch and usually eat my second meal at around ten in the evening. After I go home, sometimes I work a while, until one or two in the morning, before I sleep.