“When I see a model on the runway now, I definitely have this desire to walk again,” says Lv Yan, the Shanghai-based supermodel turned fashion designer of budding brand Comme Moi. “But the joy I felt as a model just doesn’t compare to when a customer comes up to me and tells me how much they love my designs.” Born in a small village in Jiangsu province, Lv started modeling in 1999 at tender 18, when she moved to Beijing and later, Paris, to walk the runway shows of some of the world’s most influential brands at a time when Chinese faces made rare appearances on a global stage.

Though she was lauded for her unconventional beauty abroad, Lv was met with criticism at home (in China, having a high-nose bridge, wide-set eyes or petal perfect lips is the prevailing aesthetic). But despite the naysayers, Lv continued to push forward, and built a successful career as one of China’s first supermodels. Wanting to change careers, Lv started her own fledgling fashion brand two years ago, only to be met with resistance once again — family and friends advised her against it, citing market saturation and competition as too challenging,. “No one took me seriously,” she says of the experience, “nor were they supportive of me. As a ‘celebrity’ or model, people think of you as playing a role. But I love challenges, so I followed my intuition. I have a sixth sense for these things. The moment I set my mind on something, I make sure to achieve it.”

And achieve she has. Comme Moi is now sold in over 30 points of sale across the Mainland, and has quickly become a favorite of celebrities and fashion-industry insiders. Lv has also endured tremendous learning, navigating the ins and outs of running a fashion business, from choosing materials, patternmaking, designing, and managing back-end production and distribution. “I control every aspect of my business,” she explains, “and I feel so fulfilled, because I design for myself too.” The aesthetic of Comme Moi (it was important for Lv to separate the brand name from her own persona) embodies her own unique style: a flattering East-West cool, inspired by French je ne sais quoi, perfectly packaged in structured mesh knits and versatile fabrics for the modern girl.

As the consummate work warrior and mother, Lv would like to dabble in kidswear (she previously designed a capsule collection for retailer Lane Crawford) and more creative collaborations (she previously partnered with Christian Louboutin to design shoes for her brand). Any parting advice? “I would advise people to work in a big company for a few years to learn different aspects of the industry. Work first and gain experience — what’s the rush? There’s a lot of pressure to succeed in this business — you want to do better with each season, but we just have to remember that we’re all only human.”

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