In this edition of Sponsor Spotlight, we chat with veteran CrowdJewel Sponsor, Jasmine Webster of Dress Me Blog. Jasmine’s journey to success started with an appetite for adventure, has been fueled by a passion for fashion, and is sustained by meticulous time management. Jasmine spearheads three ventures (Stylist, Dress Me author, and ELLE Blogger), one industry group (#HKFashionBloggers), attends and plans fashion events, and looks stylish while doing it all. Oh, and she’s planning her wedding, too. If you’ve ever considered taking the plunge to start your own business but still just aren’t sure, be sure to check out our interview with Jasmine below for some inspiration… and get going!
Jasmine Webster always looks fabulous, even when she’s the one behind the camera!
CrowdJewel: You’re originally from New Zealand. 5 years ago you stopped over in Hong Kong and never left. Why? Where were you going? Do you ever think “What if?”
Jasmine Webster: I was on my way to London to live and work, and my Hong Kong visit was supposed to be a simple stop-over—which as you mentioned, extended into a 5 year stay. It probably stands as one of the best decisions I ever made! Creating a life for myself in Hong Kong, although never planned, has been the best thing for me personally and professionally.
“What If” I went to the UK? Well I would have arrived at the beginning of the financial crisis, I would have worked in hospitality as in those times that’s all that would have been on offer, and I would have completed my 2 year work visa and possibly gone back to New Zealand—none of which I ever wanted to do!
CJ: You’re a personal stylist as well as a fashion stylist, two jobs that take an inordinate amount of time in terms of meetings, developing editorial concepts, pulling garments, coordinating and executing ideas with a creative team… the list goes on. On top of it, a year ago you decided to start Dress Me Blog—when do you sleep?
JW: Good question! It would seem that my life is 24/7, and it is to some degree, but it’s a well organised one and I think that’s the only way I manage to fit everything in! I keep to deadlines, I manage my time down to the last minute and I can identify not only my priorities, but how to multi-task them within everything else I am doing!
As a business owner who operates on a variety of creative platforms, I’m my own boss and I have high expectations of myself. This alone motivates me to perform and continuously reach my targets. Plus fashion is fuel for me—I adore my work which makes the whole process so much easier!
Photo: Sabrina Sikora
CJ: You’ve also created #HKFashionBloggers, a group of Hong Kong’s top fashion community of bloggers. Tell us more about it, and what inspired you to start it? What achievement are you most proud of for #HKFashionBloggers, and what are you goals for the community over the next few years?
JW: The #HKFashionBloggers is a Hong Kong-based, non-profit, professional organization, currently with 60+ members who are active fashion-based bloggers in Hong Kong. I established this platform initially as a means of support to enable Fashion Bloggers to become more effective in their careers by becoming Hong Kong’s authority on the business of fashion through social media channels.
One of the things about this community that I admire, is not individual achievements (of which there are many!) but more so an established respect and comaraderie that it has developed. With 60+ people all blogging about fashion you would think the competitive nature would be high. However, they value collaborations and partnerships and understand more so than any other community I have seen how as a combined unit operating in the same industry, they have strength and power. They work at creating opportunities for themselves, not taking them from others. This I find highly admirable!
[As for goals,] #HKFashionBloggers will soon be moving from its Facebook page, where the group was first started, to a website of its own, making it easily recognisable globally, not just in Hong Kong (step 1 of taking over the fashion world!).
Photo: Sabrina Sikora
CJ: What would you say is your signature style?
JW: I’m very classic in the way I dress. My wardrobe is a sea of sculptured black with hints of rock, and my accessories are often a studded belt or full-finger ring. Think white pearls and black leather.
Photo: Sabrina Sikora
CJ: Off the top of your head (don’t think about them!), name your top 5 all-time favorite designers.
JW: Elie Saab, Alexander McQueen, Balmain (Olivier Rousteing), Sass & Bide (Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton), and Givenchy (Riccardo Tisci).
CJ: What’s the most common style mistake you see women make?
JW: Wearing the wrong underwear or under garments!
CJ: What’s the easiest style fix any woman can make?
JW: Take time to do her hair! Always aim for something more than just a ponytail.
Photo: Sabrina Sikora
CJ: This isn’t your first time sponsoring a CrowdJewel design challenge, and while it’s clear why anyone would love to work with you, what inspired you to partner with us and continue to host new challenges?
JW: I admire people who create platforms which enable the success of others—and that’s exactly what CrowdJewel does!
You business model is an inspiration which promotes and nurtures creative growth and professionalism—and because of this base of which you extend yourself and others—I love partnering with you!
CJ: What’s next for Jasmine Webster?
JW: A name change! With a wedding on the cards and a new name up my sleeve, who knows what else I can achieve with that fresh start!
We look forward to future collaborations with Jasmine, and we hope you’ve found some inspiration in her story, too! To keep up with Jasmine and #HKFashionBloggers, check them out online:
