Simplicity with a Bit of Madness: Candy Lin Candy & Caviar

Chinese-American fashion designer Candy Lin founded her label candy & caviar just two years ago, but – if celebrity fans like Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas and Jay Chou are any indication – it’s already enjoyed widespread success from east to west. The online store has been in operation for some time, but Ms. Lin’s Beijing show room only opened its doors to the public early this year. She showed off her signature designs and chatted with Agenda about her unique fashion education, the philosophy behind her label and her views on the fashion scene in Beijing.

What inspired you to start candy & caviar in Beijing?
I was born in Chicago, but moved to southern California when I was six – I grew up and attended school there. I love California, which is why our headquarters are based there. But I’ve always been drawn to China. In the past, my family would often come back here to visit relatives. I had already experienced Taiwan, Shanghai and Hong Kong, but Beijing was one of those major cities I knew nothing about. I came here to just check it out – I’d never had the intention to start my label, but it just so happened that I met the great people I work with now and it just led to that. Now Beijing’s become my second home.
I officially started candy & caviar in January 2008. I had no background in fashion and knew that would be a problem – you really have to understand the fabrics and the construction of the pieces. So for the first eight months, I learned hands-on in the factories, where I’d watch them create the patterns, the samples and everything that went into the process of production. These factories produce for several UK and Japanese brands, and have now become our producer. I’m probably their smallest client right now, but it’s nice because we’ve been working together since the beginning.

When did you first discover your passion for fashion?
It started a long time ago. When I was younger, I’d see pictures of these fabulous 18th century Marie Antoinette costumes. It was a world of costumes and glamour – something I could really relate to and could see myself being a part of. But it was more like a dream back then; I never thought it’d turn into a reality.

You majored in communications at the University of Southern California – what were your original plans upon graduating?
Actually, I was interested in advertising and PR, which has now come in handy with marketing my brand and forming connections. But when I first came here, I tested the different fields of advertising and PR a bit and decided it wasn’t what I really wanted to do. Designing was always on my mind – I always had a dream of having my own fashion label and business, but I just thought it would start years later when I’d settled down and grew up a bit. I knew doing something like this would take 100 percent of my time, energy and focus, to say the least. If I start something and put my mind to it, I definitely won’t stop until it’s finished.

How did you come up with the name candy & caviar?
Well, “candy” comes from my name. It’s what the brand represents – we take lots of classic fits, classic structures, and throw in a bit an edge. The “candy” is the fun and sweet side – the hoods and the colors. The “caviar” is the sophisticated, chic side – the blazers and the fitted coats. So it’s really just a combination of the two, plus I like the sound of it. People ask who the “caviar” is. The answer is that it’s also me. I’m the kind of person who’s happy everyday, but the caviar is definitely my serious side – the side that comes out while I’m at work.

What’s the philosophy behind your label?
I think the best way to describe it would be simplicity with a bit of madness. I like classic structures like fitted blazers, but I’ll add little details here and there to give it that candy & caviar touch.

What celebrity styles do you admire, and do any of them influence your designs?
More recently, Rihanna. I like her style; she’s very candy & caviar. I can see her in a lot of our clothes. Basically, any female celebrity who may be a little more bold and brave, but still have the girl in her. As for the male celebrities, the ones who like to wear their clothes fitted. Pulling off a hood well would definitely earn a few extra points from candy & caviar.

We’ve heard that some celebrities have worn your clothes in the past – want to drop any names?
Will.i.am seems to be a big fan. He has a lot of our items, like our signature hooded vests and the Hudson windbreaker. We also have some local celebrities like S.H.E. and Jay Chou, who have our vests from our very first collection.

Can you describe the process you go through of coming up with a design?
First, I decide what the season will be inspired by. Then I start by choosing the colors. My label is really black and white; I tend to stick with that and throw in a few colors here and there. This season, all our outerwear will be primarily black, while the innerwear – like the dresses and male dress shirts – will have touches of dark purple, green and blue. Really, I design with me in mind; I would never design anything I wouldn’t wear or wouldn’t buy for my friends. After this, we start making samples, which usually takes about two or three tries until we get the exact ones we’re satisfied with. This is where our in-house tailor comes in. He first makes the skin of the design – I check the fit, he makes any final changes to it and then we throw in the fabrics. About ten percent of the time we have to alter it further, like if the hood doesn’t fit right, if the sleeves are too tight or if the fabrics don’t match up together.

Tell us more about candy & caviar’s charity program Project 141.
When I was at the University of Southern California, I volunteered as a mentor for underprivileged kids at urban schools through this program called JEP (Joint Educational Project). It was such a great experience and I had such a good time, I really wanted to continue being involved and giving back in a way that relates to my company. So I went back to USC a few months ago and met with the director of the volunteer center. I offered this idea that for every candy & caviar Project 141 cardigan we would sell, I’d donate one to the kids as well. She was super interested. So come May, we’re going to match and deliver the number of cardigans we sell to the different sites USC works with. And the best part is, we’re not going to just give them random cardigans – we’re actually going to custom-make one for each of the kids. We’re going to ask them what their favorite colors are and make the cardigans based on what they would like, so in a way they’ll be designing their own cardigan.

What are your personal favorite pieces from the collection?
From this season, a hooded blazer called the Emma, and from last season, our hooded unisex windbreaker called the Hudson. I won’t leave my place without something that’s candy & caviar – whether it’s a cardigan, dress, jacket, and/or our caviar necklace, people will always see me in one of my own designs.

What do you think of the fashion scene in Beijing?
I definitely think it’s up-and-coming – it has changed a lot in recent years, much like the city itself. This is definitely shameless self-promotion, but Beijing could use candy & caviar. Maybe that’s why I chose Beijing – the people here are very open-minded about up-and-coming fashion, which is why it’s great to be here. I think they’re getting ready to search for new designers, whereas in Shanghai and Hong Kong they already have so many established designers.

What do you see for the future of candy & caviar?
Well, we’re currently in talks of expanding our line into quite a few chain stores in New York and California. It’s an exciting move because it’d make us more of an international brand. But why limit ourselves to just clothes? Years later, after the brand is really established, I’d love to expand into other areas outside of fashion. My vision is about building a candy & caviar empire. That might be a bold statement, but deep inside I’m still that same little girl with the same big dreams. I’m more motivated now than ever and these dreams are definitely a little closer to reality than they were 15 years ago.

candy & caviar Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm, or call for appointment. 921, Bldg 16, China Central Place, 89 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District. (5203 6581) www.candyandcaviar.com 朝阳区建国路89号华贸商务楼16号楼921室