Filed under: interview | Tags: fashion, global, hipster, internet, lookbook, san francisco, SF, style, trends, trendy, website, yuri lee
Yuri Lee, 23. The hip new face on the fashion circuit.
Why? Simply because her innovative fashion wesbite, LOOKBOOK.nu, is getting a lot of hype among the hipster elite of the world.
With users from foreign fancies like France, Russia, and Hong Kong clicking in daily, you’d think she’d be letting all of this fame go to her head.
Not so!
The SF native has much to say on style, being a workaholic, and what fashion means to her.
Hey there, Yuri! Unique ideas and the people behind them are exactly my niche, and your site is a perfect squeeze! On LOOKBOOK.nu’s FAQ, you describe yourself as “just a girl hailing from San Francisco who likes art, fashion and culture”. What do you have to say about that?
I guess I like to keep a low profile…and I don’t feel like anything particularly special or amazing just because I have a website. The amazing ones are the people that post their amazing style on our site…even after a year of seeing beautiful looks everyday, I am still blown away by everyones’ talent!
What was the inspiration behind this massively successful venture?
Fashion has always been an important part of my life and at the time I was intrigued by the Sartorialist and by other “what are you wearing today” forums. My boyfriend was working for a well known social network. We combined both our passions and the result was LOOKBOOK.nu!
What was the biggest challenge in setting up LOOKBOOK?
Getting the word out! My boyfriend and I were both broke and we had to find a way to alert the fashion world about our project. Some might call what we did spamming, but we spent days upon days searching for the right uses for LOOKBOOK.
Any advice to those who are looking to start their own fashion site?
We’ve always had our ups and downs and believe me when I say the downs have been very discouraging sometimes. So I guess my advice is don’t get too caught up in failure or success. A site truly dies when you stop working on it.
Cutie Gregory C. showing off his American Apparel dreads from across the Atlantic.
LOOKBOOK.nu was established in April 2008 and has grown incredibly ever since. To what would this be accredited?
I would say our dedicated and incredibly inspirational users and my boyfriend who works around the clock to create new features and make sure the site is running smoothly.
Describe your personal style.
For the most part clean, modern, and monochrome. But I usually dress according to how I’m feeling that day. I’m quickly bored of repetition.
Favorite designers?
Favorite now is Yohji Yamamoto.
What were you doing before LOOKBOOK came along?
Working retail management (I hated it).
Do you ever find yourself being inspired by the users of LOOKBOOK?
Every single day!
Popular blogger Jane from Sea of Shoes on LOOKBOOK.
What role do you play in the site’s housekeeping? Who else helps you maintain the site?
My boyfriend programs, I handle community management and design, and we just brought on a third to take care of advertising.
You describe LOOKBOOK.nu as “an international social experiment in style”. What gives LOOKBOOK that appeal that draws hundreds of visitors daily?
I guess the fashion inspiration, the largely international community, and the supportive environment.
What do people think of when they think of LOOKBOOK?
I hope they think of LOOKBOOK as the source of real fashion inspiration from REAL people around the world.
Loose, dreamy style from Ann N. of California.
So you live in San Francisco! What’s your favorite part of living in the city, and why?
I recently moved from San Francisco to the South Bay, but I loved the ethnic diversity. Lets just say I love to eat and SF has the best Thai, Japanese, Indian, and French food I have ever tasted!
What stores do you find yourself stalking? Any local digs you’d like to share?
I like a lot of the shops in Hayes Valley, but my favorite store at the moment is Opening Ceremony.
Who is your style muse?
Gemma Ward…she’s beautiful!
What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion is using your body as a canvas to project who you to the world.
Finally, what do you see in LOOKBOOK’s future?
We will continue to grow and create new features. Currently we are working on a mobile site, partnerships with some incredible magazines, our own magazine, and much much more!
