From luxury fashion buyer to wedding brand owner: Jacqueline Au worked for Celine, Givenchy and Lane Crawford, then founded bridal boutique Loft in Hong Kong
In 2021, Loft recently moved to a new 1,600 sq ft space on Hollywood Road, which Au describes as “a minimalist approach with maximum expression”.
“I am at the tail end of fine tuning and unveiling a new space for Loft. It has been quite the journey: the transformation, renovation plus move, from concept to completion, took around six months,” says Au, who also had her second child in February. “I think that in the post-pandemic world, there’s still something irreplaceably powerful about a physical store. It was really important for us that when you walk into our store it wasn’t about clothes being shoved in your face. It was about the experience of walking in, taking in the space, being able to slowly introduce yourself to our signature Cire Trudon x Giambattista Valli Positano scent, and walking through the collections in a space that’s calm and minimal. All created for private one-on-one appointments.”
When it’s not a fashion week, she spends time creating content for their social channels and working with clients on their wedding wardrobes. Au works six days a week.
“Monday is a day when I work while the studio is closed. It’s when I take a minute to look back at the week prior, and set an intention for the upcoming week and look at whether everything I have planned is aligned with what I want to accomplish,” she says. “Monday really is my day to get ahead on life.
“Sunday is the day when I’m fully offline. I step away from my computer, my phone. I’m present and disconnected from virtual life and as a family, we go out for a long day together – the beach mostly, or swimming, as Avery loves the water.”
Making the most of her time is important. “You only get one chance at life and I want to give it my best in the limited time that I have got. So essentially for me, time management is a priority,” she continues.
“The more I see myself as what I would like to become and achieve, the more driven I am to transform my vision into reality. Time is not a limit – it is just there to remind me to focus, set my intentions, prioritise, and then throw myself deeply into achieving my best work, wholeheartedly.”
Jacqueline Au’s preferred watch – Vintage Patek Philippe Ellipse 3582G
“It’s from my grandfather. It was given to me when he passed. It’s like I am always carrying my history with me – a piece of him that is always with me.”
- Au’s eye for style means she can find one-of-a-kind gowns from design houses such as Alex Perry, Vivienne Westwood Bridal and Toni Maticevski
- She uses a Cire Trudon x Giambattista Valli Positano fragrance in her new Hollywood Road studio – and prizes her Vintage Patek Philippe Ellipse 3582G