Linyee Yuan’s been living in NYC for almost a decade and in true NY style has been on her grind, honing in on her marketing skills. She quit her job at Fortune Magazine when she realized “the only time [she] saw women or people of color on the cover of the magazine was in ’special’ editions.” Since then she’s helped grow two streetwear brands simultaneously, launched an apparel trade show in Las Vegas, and now currently wears many hats at her favorite Asian focused publication, Theme magazine.
We pulled her into the Confessional this week to find out more about her refreshing thoughts and opinions.
Name and Age, please:
LinYee Yuan, 27
Marital status:
Single
Where are you originally from?
Houston, TX
How long have you lived in New York?
Almost a decade!
What neighborhood in NY do you live in?
Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
What are your favorite memories of New York since living here?
I love summers in NYC. I also really love the random nights in New York when you have no real plans but one thing leads to another and you find yourself smoking on a stoop at 5AM, laughing your ass off with friends, and watching the sun come up from the back of a cab as you cross the bridge.
Give us a brief rundown of your past work experience.
After finishing school in NYC I moved to HK to teach English and was lucky enough to do some work for A-Vibe, a youth marketing agency. From there I returned to NYC to work in the communications department at Fortune Magazine. After realizing the only time I saw women or people of color on the cover of the magazine was in “special” editions I bounced to do Marketing and PR for The FADER/Cornerstone. After 2 years I left to pursue some freelance projects and help out with one of my best friend’s brand consultancy/streetwear lines, Kilo International. Not only did a small company of three people design, sell, distribute, and market two separate streetwear brands but we also produced a small boutique streetwear tradeshow in Vegas showing Japanese and NYC collections twice a year, timed with MAGIC. During all of this I was doing some freelance writing on the side for Theme Magazine, a bi-monthly publication with a lens on contemporary global Asian culture. It was (and still is) my favorite publication so I was geeked when they asked me to come on board as an editor!
You recently joined Theme Magazine as an editor, how’s that going?
I love it! Every day I pinch myself because I can’t believe I have a job where I get to work with a global network of inspiring and visionary creatives — thinkers, creators, artists in all fields, photographers, and writers. Besides the magazine, we also have a creative agency called emeht (the other side of Theme) and we work on a lot of interesting projects ranging from art direction for brands like Clae footwear and Inhabit cashmere to publishing an inspirational and beautiful breast cancer survivors portrait book for breast cancer awareness month this coming October.
Before working at Theme you were doing marketing for Kilo Int’l, what was it like switching gears?
It’s actually felt like a pretty natural transition. Even though Theme is totally different from most magazines that are out there, I’ve followed Asian/Asian-American publications for awhile (remember Yolk?!). I’ve always loved print magazines and have seen both sides of the publishing masthead. I am also really lucky to have lived in this city for a decade and have friends who do amazing things all around the world. I get to feed my natural curiosity for people, support my friends, and the magazine is a beautiful platform to tell people’s stories.
Theme focuses on Asian and Asian American people through a different theme for each issue, how difficult or easy is it to find material for the magazine?
I think one of the best things about Theme is that we get to tell stories of people who are creators in the world just doing them, and they happen to be Asian. For example, we’ve talked to a professional manga reader in Tokyo who started off just doing readings in the park, and for the issue on stands now we talked to an astronaut and an emergency room doctor who works half of the month on a Native American reservation and the other half of the month traveling to farflung locations to surf. The support for the magazine is really across the board and people are sometimes surprised to realize that we have an Asian focus. We have a great network of people who are plugged into creative communities around the world and we have a pretty constant dialogue with them and they always suggest great story ideas and introduce us to really amazing people. Also, because we’re based in NYC new people are constantly coming through and new ideas are always flowing through this dynamic city.
What kind of things do you bring to the table at Theme?
Because we have a small team of folks who work hard to put the magazine out, I get to wear a lot of different hats. Even though event production can be stressful, I really love putting together events and it’s a great excuse to see a lot of friends all at once. We have our Travel Issue release party tomorrow and we’re bringing the talented producer Eric Lau here from London for his NYC debut! Also, we’re relaunching the website soon and we’re going to have a really unique online store.
At your last job with Kilo you were heavily involved in streetwear fashion and tradeshows, how does that differ from Theme?
I really enjoyed working in streetwear, most of the people I met through Kilo are smart, young, focused and amazingly talented people who are brave enough to run their own businesses! I think the primary difference is that the people I’ve met through the magazine are really working in a range of different fields and because we’re not dedicated to covering a single industry, we can just focus on telling unique stories and giving some shine to interesting and creative folks. It’s also really nice to be on the other side of the press release.
Miss anything about working in streetwear?
I miss the parade of people and constant banter at the Kilo offices, the crazy hours, and the late night planning sessions on how to take over the world.
What’s the most important thing you learned at your last job?
I learned to dream big and work hard! Kenshin and Erik are two of the hardest working people in the game and I am really blessed to call them my friends!
Can you tell us about any other things you’ve got on your horizon?
Lookout for some fun summer parties and BBQs in the backyard!
Got any favorite clothing brands? Stores?
I love Stewart & Wright in Fort Greene, Lola Y Maria and Honey in the Rough on Rivington. I rarely shop though…thanks to Audrey at Archetype showroom and the gentlemen of Surface to Air I can get everything done twice a year at their sample sales!
Got a long term plan?
One day I want to be able to wake up every morning and see the ocean. I also want to travel and see as much of the world as humanly possible.
Do you have much free time? What do you do when you’re not working?
I love photography because it appeals to my sentimental side. When the weather is nice I try to work on my garden, I love to cook, play mah-jong with the girls, and the ultimate luxury is sitting down with a good book. As I get older I realize I’m totally turning into an Asian auntie.
How would you describe your personal style?
Unfussy with a throwback flair.
What’s your prized possession?
I am obsessed with my cat, Oski. I adopted him when my friend Rebeca moved to London and he is so hilarious. He’s like a jungle cat with stripes on his back and spots on his belly and he runs around with his crew of other cats every morning before I go to work
Where do you like to shop?
I’m a die-hard thrift-er! I’ve been digging through thrift stores since I was in high school and when I travel I always try to take some time to checkout local flea markets and thrift stores. My favorites cities to thrift in are Houston (hometown love!), Vegas (great costume jewelry), Miami (where rich ladies go to die) and Chicago (for vintage furs). I am also a craigslist junkie. I’ve found bikes, furniture and my apartment through that magical site.
Do you go out much? Got any favorite bars, lounges, and clubs?
I know this sounds kinda cliché, but anywhere there’s good friends and great music! I really miss Sam’s bar (palais royal) and the amazing bourbon selection.
Name your top 3 fave restaurants in NY and what your favorite dish(es) is/are there.
Congee Village for all the crazy HK style junk food. Try the shrimp with candied walnuts and broccoli.
Royal Roti House in Crown Heights for its amazing goat curry roti.
Choice Market in Clinton Hill for lazy weekend coffee and people watching. Honestly, everything from Choice is perfect and I like all their savory scones.
What music have you been listening to lately?
Lykke Li, BLK JKS, Sachiko Kanenobu, The Cure, and some random compilations of 70s funk/psychedelia.
What’s your most recent discovery/exploration in New York?
Cuchifrito – I’ve lived in NYC for so long but only recently tried Cuchifrito on suggestion from my good homegirl Jenay! Deep fried plantains stuffed with meat, just the thought makes my mouth water.
Do you plan on living in NY forever?
I’ve lived here over the past decade and embarrassingly enough, I still can’t bring myself to say I’m a NYer. I tend to tell people I’m from Texas but live in NY. NYC is the place I feel most at home, I am inspired on a daily basis by my friends and the people I meet and by the city itself! If only I could have a porch and a proper beach setup in NYC! I trust that the universe will take me where I need to go.
If you smoke, tell us your favorite rolling paper. If you drink, tell us your cocktail/drink of choice.
Small-batch bourbon on the rocks, Smoking brand rice papers.
Name one New York woman that you would nominate to our Hail Mary! list.
Molly McIver - Publisher of Dossier Journal, Crossword Maven, Dim Sum partner, and all around badass Brooklyn girl!
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Awesome to see Linyee here! I’ve been watching her in action for the last three or four years, from Miami to NY, and she manages it all so effortlessly. She’s also one of the sweetest, most genuine, and most hospitable gals in New Yiddy. Throws amazing bbq’s and makes a mean gumbo too! Totally deserving… Bravo!