REAL TALK: EUGENIA KIM

When it comes to some of the best hats in the business (and most spotted on our social feeds) there’s a particular name that always crops up: Eugenia Kim.

Here, as part of Lane Crawford’s new “real talk” series, we sit down with the New York City-based accessories designer to pop the questions we really want the answers to.

What do you look for in the people you surround yourself with?

Humour, honesty, fun and intelligence. Most of my friends are people I’ve been friends with for a long time.

What scares you?

I like newness and discovering things all the time, so I would say boredom and monotony are definite fears of mine. I don’t like to be idle – I like working, being creative and utilising my mind all the time.

What kind of role has social media played in your life and building a company?

I think social media has been a positive force in my life and in building my brand. A lot of Eugenia Kim styles are “insta-ready” and lend themselves well to the visual format, whether that content is created in-house, being shared by our network of influencers or spotted on a celebrity. We’ve had a few viral moments over the years, from the launch of our sunhats to Beyoncé and Kate Middleton wearing Eugenia Kim in the same week. Social media – Instagram in particular – has been a great way to share our vision and has given us the unprecedented ability to communicate with our audience to learn first-hand what they want to see more of.

What are the first 3 images on your mood board for your next collection?

In your opinion, which Instagram accounts are worthy of a follow and why?

@papermagazine is a great, irreverent brand voice and is always on top of the latest pop culture developments. This account is always having a lot of fun which is what social media should be about at the end of the day.

@archdigest, because who doesn’t love looking at beautiful interiors?

@the_real_iman. Not only is Iman a living legend, but her #ImanDaily inspirational quotes always get me through the day. She’s timeless and pulls off Eugenia Kim to the next level.

@evachen212 — we’re the same age, which I find inspiring. I love her style, and her authentic, irreverent approach to her work and her social media. It’s intentionally not super curated which is refreshing.

How have you developed as a designer over time?

My brand has grown up with me and has evolved in accordance with my own personal evolution.

What advice would you give your 15 year-old self?

Calm down and relax. I tend to want to do everything right away and at full force, and learned over time that there’s a virtue in embracing patience.

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