Vanessa Hong

I discovered Vanessa many years ago. Back then, no one used the term “influencer” and Vanessa ran her own blog names Haute Pursuit. Her website was a home to the inspiring outfits, New York City lifestyle and exquisite blogging skills. She is one of the few original fashion bloggers who created a new niche in the fashion industry and established new types of partnerships in it. She constantly collaborates with brands such as Chanel, Bottega Veneta and Prada and also hosts a podcast channel VanessaWantsToKnow.
Vanessa has served as an inspiration for my blogs in the past. Today I am happy to share our interview and introduce her firsthand. So let’s dive right in!

Unfortunately, we are all going through a very difficult situation with COVID-19 and lockdowns all around the world. Could you share your personal experience, including the biggest challenges and/or tips?

It’s definitely been strange living in NY, one of the busiest cities in the world & have it be still and quiet except for sirens. The lockdown has really helped me see what is important to me in my personal and work life. Hopefully people have enjoyed all the IG Lives, IG TVs and feed content I’ve created during this time. It’s come from a place of curiosity, expansion and wanting to help in whatever way I can.

My yoga community has been so important during this time. I do class every day and have tried to be consistent with my meditation practice. Slowing down in general, spending less time on my phone and reading more books has also really nourished me.

Everyone following you can tell that along with the exquisite style you also bring spirituality and consciousness to the table. How well do you think the brands are responding to the challenges of sustainability of the planet?

To be honest, I want to be more optimistic about the industry as a whole, but sustainability and the fashion industry are ideologically, diametrically opposed. The onus on fashion brands is to create new seasons, make more clothes, add to what has been made already. I love fashion, I consume fashion myself and this is a realization that is very hard to stomach.

Hopefully one of the outcomes of this global event is a real, intentional review of how we do business in fashion.

Being an influencer you probably have a large wardrobe. With the items you have accumulated, (including the gifts from the brands) is there any method/rule you approach to keep your wardrobe mindful?

One of the ways I’ve tried to counteract this is not accepting gifts but rather working with brands on a sample loan basis. So this means I’ll borrow a piece from the runway or studio, shoot it, and then return the garments. When I am gifted (and this too happens) I give most of it away. When I started my career in fashion, I had limited funds and could not afford many of the things I wanted. So i know the value of receiving a gift, no strings attached – and I try to do this as often as possible.

What are your thoughts about vintage and second hand shopping? If positive, what are your favorite destinations online and offline?

For me, I like to collect old Celine pieces from Phoebe Philo’s era. I find those on Vestaire and The Real Real. Alternatively, I love going to vintage stores in Europe, i feel the curation and quality is so much better. One of my favorite people and stores is in Copenhagen, a placed called ‘Paloma’s vintage’

Is there an outfit or just an item you can’t wait to wear once this pandemic is over?

Hmmmm. Maybe a Celine piece I’ve waited for something special to wear to. Definitely want to make a splash to celebrate this when it’s all over.

Vanessa, can you share 3 influencers that inspire you?

my friend and a mentor @therealphilliplim (Phillip has the best cooking stories and his content is like a breath of fresh air just like him)

food stylist @lailacooks (I love Laila’s approach to food. It’s artistic, funny & very educational)

my facialist @joannaczechofficial (Joanna is one of the funniest people I know and she’s been doing faces for 20+ years and has so many great tips)

You created a great platform, especially for this particular situation. Is there anything additional project/idea you can share for our readers to look forward?

Yes, you can look forward to weekly podcasts from VanessaWantsToKnow. We’ll be having fun, uplifting conversations with all sorts of people from the Creative world. Definitely a must listen.

ქართული ვერსია ნახეთ აქ

You have seen me in bobby pins, headbands and hair clips, and I’m not about to stop. In fact let’s talk the major fashion trend that started last summer with simple bow ties and keeps on growing, developing and amazing fashion junkies of the world. Let’s see why we all love it, how we can master it and who is the major inspiration to look up to.

WHY
Preppy cool – this is how I would describe all this pins-and-clips movement. From our early school years to the latest Paris Fashion Week one thing is certain, no matter if your style is super minimalistic or full on avant-garde, everyone can find a way to style the trend. These details can upgrade the whole basic look to chic or keep a dressier look to the cool, low-key level. In fact, let’s go through my little selection for visual demonstration.

HOW
The key is to keep the rest of the hair simple. The most common way it to keep your hair down in the natural way and simply add a headband or a combination of your favorite accessories. It doesn’t matter if you prefer adding textured waves to your heir or keeping it slick, what matters is an effortless feeling.
Styling combinations are countless! You can play it cool with a single statement piece, or combine 2 or more pins of a similar esthetic, or put infinite number of basic bobby pins all on one side, or separate your hair in the center and clip it from both sides symmetrically… But I would recommend to keep your bold, colorful combination for more minimalistic looks, such as white top and jeans. Balancing the whole look with this trend is simple!

Lastly, let me introduce you to my ultimate inspiration, Vanessa Hong, who nailed this hair trend like a pro and is about to spoil us with a very special hair accessories collaboration with LELET NY. I will keep you updated on that one but before that enjoy the pictures.

HEADBANDS
Headbands definitely deserve a place in this trend report. The rule with these IT Accessories – The Bigger, The Better.
Being a fan of Blair Waldorf, I have been loving headbands since high school but this teenage obsession of mine has got a new form (literally).
Not only these headbands are now wider but also much taller via the curve volume.

The first brand that started this trend in past season was Alessanda Rich for SS19 collection. Georgian brand N-Duo Concept in collaboration with Desert Mannequin was also among the first to catch the trend and than Prada came and took the volume game to the daring level. This head pieces are definitely a statement for every outfit. You can find it in any color, fabric and embellishment so get inspired and choose the one that works for you.