Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Ling
Hi Julie , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Taiwan, a place renowned for its excellent craftsmanship and the reputation of “MIT” (Made in Taiwan). Growing up, I realized that my body type was not typical for Asia, making it difficult to find clothes that met my requirements. This challenge led me to pursue custom-made pieces for everything related to my appearance.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Started with no knowledge of anything related to fashion. Finding a master willing to start from scratch was really hard and seemed impossible in Taiwan for making leather performance wear. So, I thought outside the box: why not find someone who made small handmade handbags and at least had basic skills in leather design? That’s how I met my coworkers, including my best friend, who now works with Poison to handle all the beautiful handmade pieces.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I worked as a model for over 11 years around the world. As a traveling model, I met many creative photographers and models and had the chance to attend various creative parties, building up my connections. Having worked in art since I was very young, I developed a good taste for matching pieces, which led me into creative direction and fashion styling. As a model, I found friends who were into fashion photography, and we collaborated to create high-end fashion looks. One of my friends, who is now an editor, noticed our work and introduced me to the truly high-end fashion scene in New York City.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
For me, I invested 100% of what I had into my own business, Poison, without any investors. I worked extremely hard as a model, literally day in and day out, to earn money and invest everything into buying materials, focusing on design, and growing my handmade studio. The first four years were really tough, especially since COVID-19 hit just a month after my business opened in New York. However, this challenge provided us with time to improve our craftsmanship skills and work on patterns. I ran out of all the money I had earned from modeling. Once New York reopened, I immediately returned to modeling. The salary was barely enough to support myself and our studio, but I’m glad we survived and made it to where we are now.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://poisonnewyork.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poison_newyork?igsh=dG83NjNyODlqanVy
