Garbo Zhu
Meet Garbo Zhu, a dynamic creative force whose journey from a rigorous academic upbringing in China to the helm of her own company is nothing short of inspiring. In this interview, Garbo shares insights into her creative process, the challenges of balancing content creation with personal satisfaction, and her evolving relationship with fashion. Join us as we delve into the mind of a visionary who transformed her passion into a thriving career.
Did you have a creative childhood?
Yes! Growing up in China, school was very intense, so creativity became my way of escaping from the pressure of schoolwork. I would doodle on textbooks and make up stories to share with my peers during break time. It wasn’t the kind of carefree childhood where I could run wild in the fields, but it definitely sparked my desire to be creative as I grew up.
You've worked in a few different creative fields. Tell us about your creative process when creating?
I always take inspiration from the current stage I’m in and from the things and people around me. Everything I do starts with a crazy random idea, like, “Hmm, what if I turned a bao (Chinese bun) into a mug?” Once I have the idea in my head, I tend not to be able to rest until the idea has been turned into a reality.
Tell us one item or outfit that you love, but would never wear yourself. Why not?
Cateye glasses. They look so fierce and have a siren-core vibe, but I would look like a mean person in them.
When did you realise you wanted to start your own company?
It all started when I began working in a corporate setting, haha. I quickly realized that the routine work life wasn’t for me. It was a mix of having a boss dictate my tasks and not having the freedom to plan my day the way I wanted. Another major reason for starting my own company was my countless business ideas—I knew the only way to bring them to life was to do it myself! Back at my desk job, I would count down to 5 PM every single day. But now, with my own practice, it hardly feels like work most of the time because I genuinely love what I do.
Do you feel creatively satisfied?
At the moment, no. A bad habit of mine is filming EVERYTHING, so when I am creating, it’s very hard for me to enjoy the simplicity of making since I’m constantly thinking about how I could turn this into content. This is something I’m working on, and I hope to get better at it soon!
If you could live in any city in the world, what would it be?
Either Guangzhou, China, or Paris. Both cities have my friends or family.
Have you always been interested in clothes?
Not always. Growing up in China and later attending boarding school in Canada, I always wore a uniform, so I never really had to think about 'what I wanted to wear tomorrow.' That changed when I got into architecture school and had to put together outfits every day for the first time. It was there that I started experimenting with silhouettes and colors, even in a professional setting—especially since architecture school tends to have an atmosphere where students and professors dress very posh and uptight, with minimal use of color.
How has the way you’ve dressed changed over the past five years?
When I was in architecture school, I dressed in minimal colours and structured silhouettes. When I had my pottery studio, I entered my thrifting fairy-core era, with lots of earth tones and flowy dresses. Now, as I enter a new stage of my life, pregnancy and motherhood, I am expanding my closet to include baggier fits and paying more attention to the quality of materials, focusing more on comfort.
Where is your favourite place to go for a three day break? And give us your three best tips?
My apartment/studio! It is my favourite place on earth because that’s where I create, rest, and recharge. It also has the perfect golden-hour lighting.
My 3 tips are:
- Sleep 8 hours a day.
- Don’t tell everyone what your dreams are; just make them happen, and they will know once you’ve achieved them.
- Always keep a paper journal instead of a digital one.
Did you have a creative childhood?
Yes! Growing up in China, school was very intense, so creativity became my way of escaping from the pressure of schoolwork. I would doodle on textbooks and make up stories to share with my peers during break time. It wasn’t the kind of carefree childhood where I could run wild in the fields, but it definitely sparked my desire to be creative as I grew up.
You've worked in a few different creative fields. Tell us about your creative process when creating?
I always take inspiration from the current stage I’m in and from the things and people around me. Everything I do starts with a crazy random idea, like, “Hmm, what if I turned a bao (Chinese bun) into a mug?” Once I have the idea in my head, I tend not to be able to rest until the idea has been turned into a reality.
Tell us one item or outfit that you love, but would never wear yourself. Why not?
Cateye glasses. They look so fierce and have a siren-core vibe, but I would look like a mean person in them.
When did you realise you wanted to start your own company?
It all started when I began working in a corporate setting, haha. I quickly realized that the routine work life wasn’t for me. It was a mix of having a boss dictate my tasks and not having the freedom to plan my day the way I wanted. Another major reason for starting my own company was my countless business ideas—I knew the only way to bring them to life was to do it myself! Back at my desk job, I would count down to 5 PM every single day. But now, with my own practice, it hardly feels like work most of the time because I genuinely love what I do.
Do you feel creatively satisfied?
At the moment, no. A bad habit of mine is filming EVERYTHING, so when I am creating, it’s very hard for me to enjoy the simplicity of making since I’m constantly thinking about how I could turn this into content. This is something I’m working on, and I hope to get better at it soon!
If you could live in any city in the world, what would it be?
Either Guangzhou, China, or Paris. Both cities have my friends or family.
Have you always been interested in clothes?
Not always. Growing up in China and later attending boarding school in Canada, I always wore a uniform, so I never really had to think about 'what I wanted to wear tomorrow.' That changed when I got into architecture school and had to put together outfits every day for the first time. It was there that I started experimenting with silhouettes and colors, even in a professional setting—especially since architecture school tends to have an atmosphere where students and professors dress very posh and uptight, with minimal use of color.
How has the way you’ve dressed changed over the past five years?
When I was in architecture school, I dressed in minimal colours and structured silhouettes. When I had my pottery studio, I entered my thrifting fairy-core era, with lots of earth tones and flowy dresses. Now, as I enter a new stage of my life, pregnancy and motherhood, I am expanding my closet to include baggier fits and paying more attention to the quality of materials, focusing more on comfort.
Where is your favourite place to go for a three day break? And give us your three best tips?
My apartment/studio! It is my favourite place on earth because that’s where I create, rest, and recharge. It also has the perfect golden-hour lighting.
My 3 tips are:
- Sleep 8 hours a day.
- Don’t tell everyone what your dreams are; just make them happen, and they will know once you’ve achieved them.
- Always keep a paper journal instead of a digital one.