HOW DID YOU FIRST BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH JONATHAN COHEN?

Jonathan and I met on a brisk fall evening at a mutual friend’s dinner in New York! We quickly realized our friend groups had some overlap, and his kind energy(+butter soft blue cashmere sweater) is the type that brought an immediate sense of warmth and comfort to any conversation :)

WHAT HAS DRAWN YOU TO WEAR JONATHAN COHEN’S GARMENTS IN YOUR OWN LIFE?

Jonathan makes fashion fun, and he always encourages me to experiment with aesthetics I otherwise would not dare to try on my own. I hope to continue to incorporate more color and styles in my wardrobe through him in the future!

WHAT ABOUT YOUR LOOK FROM FW25’S SHOOT RESONATES WITH YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?

Honestly, this was a stellar example of Jonathan pushing my style to be more bold, daring and colorful. ‘Hot shorts’ were not part of my existing vocabulary but I ended up having the most fun in them! I loved the ‘Liz Taylor at a boxing match’ inspiration- much of my work feels like stepping into a ring- gloves up, but knock’em down with kindness and grace. In this sense, the outfit quickly felt like a second skin.

GROWING UP IN AN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY BETWEEN THE U.S. AND BEIJING, HOW DID THIS UPBRINGING SHAPE YOUR CAREER?

Being raised in a ‘third culture’ community has formed the foundations of how I problem solve and approach life. Growing up with classmates from South Sudan or Italy who speak better Mandarin than I(complete with a Beijing accent!)—it quickly becomes clear that assumptions about cultural identity have no place. In that environment, open-mindedness and intellectual flexibility weren’t just values—they were survival skills. Those early lessons now form the foundation of my work in cultural diplomacy.

IN FLAUNT, YOU MENTIONED THAT TRAVELING FROM A YOUNG AGE HELPED YOU “LEARN HOW TO VIEW OTHER CULTURES WITH CURIOSITY AND TRUST.” HOW HAS THIS MINDSET INFLUENCED YOUR APPROACH TO THE GLOBAL ART AND JEWELRY INDUSTRIES?

I believe the key reason I’ve had a privileged edge in the industry at a relatively young age is my open-mindedness and adaptability across cultures. By building bridges between communities, we not only enable cross-cultural financial support, but also foster a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the world through the objects and stories we engage with.

DURING YOUR TIME AT PRATT, THE HALL OF ARMS AND ARMOR AT THE MET INSPIRED YOU TO SHIFT YOUR MAJOR TO JEWELRY, WHICH BECAME A DEFINING MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER. DID YOU EVER ENVISION THIS PATH WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?

No- Never in a million years did I think I would graduate as a metalsmith. Yet, becoming a material specialist has been one of the greatest blessings of my career.

YOU APPRENTICED UNDER MASTER SILVERSMITH HIROSHI SUZUKI AT MUSASHINO ART UNIVERSITY, WHOSE WORK IS FEATURED IN RENOWNED INSTITUTIONS LIKE THE V&A MUSEUM AND CHATSWORTH HOUSE. HOW DID THIS EXPERIENCE SHAPE YOUR ARTISTIC AND PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE?

Suzuki-sensei taught his students that even earth’s hardest materials such as metal ores, can be manipulated like clay with the correct dedication and methodology. The central techniques revolve around raising a flat sheet of metal to a dimensional vessel with nothing but a hammer. The process was rhythmic, repetitive and (most importantly) consistently intentional. I realized that almost everything in life can be done well with this same methodology.

AS AN AUCTION SPECIALIST, YOU TRAVELED TO OVER 40 COUNTRIES, ATTENDING TRADE SHOWS, EXPLORING STONE MINES, AND ORGANIZING JEWELRY SALONS. HOW HAS FIRST HAND EXPOSURE TO SO MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES SHAPED YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF ART AND JEWELRY?

Similar to my upbringing, the exposure to different cultures in a professional context just continues to foster that deeper, more nuanced understanding of the world through the objects and stories we engage with.

MOST RECENTLY, YOU’VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE 2024 VENICE BIENNALE AS THE DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE INAUGURAL BENIN PAVILION. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR ROLE AND WHAT EXCITED YOU MOST ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY?

My role was to leverage the Republic of Benin’s cultural capital with the Biennale to promote their diplomatic soft power. As the birthplace of voodoo and a culture rooted in matriarchy, Benin deepened my belief that we are all threads in the same human tapestry. The country also held one of the largest ports for the Atlantic slave trade. One cannot claim to be interested in the well being of the world without being willing to learn about where much of its roots originate from.Through establishing key alliances with institutions such as National Geographic and private patrons, I hope many more people got to experience a taste of how important this country is and can continue to be in the history of humanity.

YOU'RE ALSO INVOLVED WITH RESIDENCY UNLIMITED (RU), A NONPROFIT SUPPORTING CONTEMPORARY ART THROUGH RESIDENCIES AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS. WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS INITIATIVE, AND HOW DOES IT ALIGN WITH YOUR BROADER ARTISTIC AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS?

One morning, I received a call from my dear friend and the Chairwoman of Sotheby’s Switzerland, Caroline Lang. With her signature gusto, she said, “I nominated you for a board seat on an artist residency program I’m involved with. I didn’t mention it earlier but they just unanimously approved you! So I thought, ‘Well, I suppose I should let her know now!’” I laughed myself awake and couldn’t be more honored. I realized in recent years that pleasure is receiving, but happiness is giving. I am by no means in the stage of my life to be any major philanthropist- but the little resources I do have- time, connections, creativity- I gain great happiness in sharing.