JUMP OUT of YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Interview with the founder of LEAF magazine: Leaf Greener
by Yarina yao
“My goal is to change how people think about the digital world”. Leaf Greener told Techion Studio to explain why she made the great leap from her seven-year tenure at Elle magazine to found her own online magazine. Leaf was born in 1982, earned a Bachelor Degree in fashion design from Beijing. After graduating from the college, she worked as a fashion stylist for many fashion publications before landing a formal position in the fashion department for Conde Nast's SELF magazine. Two years later, she transitioned into the fashion industry, working as a fashion editor for Elle China till 2014.
“My goal is to change how people think about the digital world”
-Leaf Greener As it required her to interview many editors from different magazines and blogs, she needed to attend New York, London, Milan and Paris fashion week every season. While she went to fashion weeks, her style always caught many photographers’ eyes. “I love to dress well every day because I think it’s a way to respect people, people like beautiful things”, Leaf said. Her way to see fashion went viral. Later on, her street style looks were captured on many fashion magazines around the world, she went viral by many oversea medias. Her fans grew from few persons to groups little by little. She has become one of the leading Chinese bloggers in the world “I love to dress well every day because I think it’s a way to respect people"
-Leaf Greener |
“It was a long story to grow up with ELLE China together just like she was part of my life.” Leaf Greener said on the couch. “I called her my baby.” Leaf laughed while she said that. Spent 7 years with ELLE China magazine and tried her best to give it as many creative ideas as she could to every content she took responsibility for, she enjoyed her experience at Elle. At the beginning when she join ELLE the first year, she was a Junior fashion editor, she worked so hard and learned basic skills of editors in one year, though, then her talent of fashion made her impressed of Xiao Xue who is the editor-in-chief of ELLE China magazine. Leaf was promoted to senior fashion editor after 1 year later, it is a big step for people working in media. “I started to change some old concepts of fashion sections in the magazine,” said Leaf. “It made me feel challenging but interesting.” Leaf enjoys dealing with different problems in her work. She deleted two big sections and one small one, recreated one big section which is editor’s style. This one led Leaf to be on international stage very soon. But Leaf is proud of work but never satisfied. Since she found out that the printing publication industry is somehow almost saturated because of the internet, she started to look outside of the world. Digital industry made her fall in love. “Right now, all my friends and people I know from the industry feel that the digital world is generally bad quality editorial, especially for fashion”, Leaf told us that she found the fashion future market here, and she is willing to share her year and years fashion experience to help the market grow more mature. Leaf launched her digital magazine on Wechat, the top mobile app in China. “Chinese people love science and technology, they almost worship it. That is why things like WeChat and E-Commerce are always booming”, Leaf told us the reason why she chose Wechat to be the platform. Leaf also said, "In the end, Fashion needs Technology, but what matters is how you do it”. "In the end, Fashion needs Technology, but what matters is how you do it”
-Leaf Greener |
With a confidence smile, Leaf said, “I think ELLE China was one part of my journey, I love keeping moving and exploring new places, and I believe my magazine would be my next exciting wonderland. I never think I am taking a risk, though, I am just taking a different experience. I think for everybody, you need to do something different from what you are comfortable with. You have to try it”. Life always smiles to people who smiles to it. We believe Leaf will achieve her dream in the future. Leaf was so nice to give us a big hug after the interview. She also sent her good wish to us to keep trying and make the new magazine better.