Majority of what “should” have happened, happened YEARS after. It was tough getting to THIS moment. Maybe it’s the eagerness of the entrepreneur, or the perfectionist in the designer, either way, achieving any kind of success didn’t come easy or quick. My London explorations quickly spilled over to Paris. Through a serendipitous chance I ended up attending Paris Fashion Week with a friend, one night after the show I ran into my NY hero Bill Cunningham (it’s a long story here. I also ended up with a nickname “sweet child” as he fondly called me, which I cherish. I remember meeting him like it was yesterday). “Bill” gave me an invite to the Dries Van Noten party that evening, I brought an old friend, had this excellent photo shot by an editor at Harpers Bazaar there, one thing led to another, a pure symphony of stars aligned... it resulted in Pearly’s first proper feature in major fashion magazine with Elle Singapore. Thank you Ms. Sharon Lim for your friendship, kindness, and your faith in Pearly by giving us this spot! This little article has opened doors, it elevated Pearly to a more prestigious level, retailers began to take me seriously, and I received more bespoke work because of it! I continued on the collection, buckled down to build the brand. For the first time, I started to see my vision coming true.
With my PR’s help, I applied to the prestigious Paris emerging designers trade show Who's Next in Paris. With a now robust collection and the ability to take bespoke retail orders, I finalized my display designs and jumped ahead into this show. I had to adapt quickly what was needed, and there I learned what my sector was about - I surprisingly found myself an outcast as I wasn’t exactly a fashion jeweler but more of a real jeweler! Paris helped propel me further. I was showing under the British Fashion Council, and London was becoming more of a real home. I was feeling the love and I was ready to commit... my heart was in Europe, and I was living on Cathay business class thanks to Asia miles!
Pearly Ch 6-9: Tipping point, or just luck...