RYAN CHUA | THE BLOG

2012-02-25T18:07:00.000-08:00

My former models still love me.

Paula

Paris Haute Couture Week

2012-02-24T01:31:00.001-08:00

Photo by Julie Badin for ASTONISH Magazine

I am just mesmerized by anything haute couture. It is probably my favorite type of fashion. Creative freedom, no holding back, anything goes - my kind of thing! And add to it beautiful models, even crazier stage set ups, and you've got yourself a show! Someday I hope I get to fly myself to Paris and attend one (or several) of these shows such as one of my favorites Iris Van Herpen.

But you can also check out some more images from my ASTONISH Paris Team's Coverage of the Paris Fashion Shows here: ASTONISHWorld.

Favorite Inspiring Book Excerpts Part I

2012-02-20T18:55:00.000-08:00

This one comes from Richard Branson's "Losing My Virginity":

It's not that simple: to be successful, you have to be out there, you have to hit the ground running, and if you have a good team around you and more than a fair share of luck, you might make something happen."

Victoria's Secret Swim 2012 Video

2012-02-18T21:44:00.001-08:00

Victoria's Secret ALWAYS get SEXY & SWIMSUIT right!

It's still my dream to shoot for them someday!

My Life Through Instagram Part Two

2012-02-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Starting the day with HollyJane.

Back on the grind. Working on ASTONISH Issue Three materials.

Yes, that'll be two large pepperonis.

Roya after we had lunch.

Jeana and I are on a secret project. Can you guess what it is?

All we need is LOVE, according to Liane and Starbucks.

Mr. Salta and I talked about the Latin American markets.

Meeting Kei for the first time.

The twins Karen and Uyen meet up with me for a long overdue meeting / pow-wow.

The Apple Store looks like a MacPro.

Hang bike here.

My friend.

Matthew getting busy with his IPad at Fog City Diner.

Rush hour. Foot traffic.

With Kenji at The Grove.

Food Trucks. We need more in SF!!

Zappos + ASTONISH? Stay tuned.

Zappos SF Office.

Charles and Mika. Go together like fries and milkshakes.

Beautiful sunny day in the middle of Feb. I <3 San Francisco.

Blue on Orange.

Mini-photo session with Joyce.

Stay tuned for next week's M.L.T.I. Part Three!

Reminisce

2012-02-17T00:17:00.001-08:00

Model Yulya Mango after a catalog shoot.

I do miss being behind the camera.

FIDM

2012-02-15T00:15:00.000-08:00

Today I had a meeting with FIDM faculty member. It was my first time ever setting foot inside a fashion school. I've worked with so many designers and even have fashion students as interns - but it was totally another whole world seeing students and faculty in a learning environment. Pretty. Cool.

Open. Close.

2012-02-14T13:54:00.001-08:00

Open.

Close.

Don't Feed the Models

2012-02-14T12:47:00.001-08:00

Model Rachel Sutton at Pokin Yeung and Florian Strobl's photo shoot.

Don't feed the models. Unless if it's someone else's photo shoot. LOL

#TRUTH

2012-02-12T23:46:00.001-08:00

LONDON 2011

2012-02-12T23:32:00.000-08:00

All photos copyright Ryan Chua 2012.

True Story

2012-02-10T23:37:00.000-08:00

Ryan: So I have good news and bad news.
Wil: I want to hear the bad news first.
Ryan: No, you get to hear the good news.
Wil: Okay what is it?
Ryan: Some random guy approached me and tried to sell me these magical beans. So I bought them. I bought magical beans.
Wil: Okay what is the bad news?
Ryan: I used the money you lent me to buy these beans.
(Long pause)
Wil: So what kind of magic does these beans do?

Convos

2012-02-08T23:13:00.001-08:00

Kate Wang: I dunno what to weaaar.

Me: You're sitting on front row. All eyes on you.

Me: Dress to kill. Dress like an ASTONISH Art Director.

Kate Wang: Alright. That helped me decide ^^

My Life Through Instagram

2012-02-07T22:47:00.000-08:00

This is a glance of my life from the past couple days:

The view coming out of the subway: downtown San Francisco

At a cafe meeting with Alicia.

ASTONISH Editor HollyJane busy preparing for Issue Three.

HollyJane taking a break and smiling for the camera.

Roya and I brainstorming.

Running into Tania randomly.

Roya, Molly, and Marie partaking in something I did not want to partake.

Marie gets to go home with the balloons after GirlPowerHour.

At the Boditecture Fashion Show.

All eyes on the runway.

My favorite Chicagoan Mika and my love Steph.

Wonder Woman aka "Jennifer Kim Van Hustlin Nguyen"

Another awesome publication: Hyphen Magazine.

I can never tell what Sassy is thinking.

What's up!

Beautiful weather, interrupted.

Making new friends!

Rush hour. Without Jackie Chan.

Till next time!

Journeys

2012-02-02T23:24:00.000-08:00

It's been a pretty interesting week. Never the same as the last, nor the week ahead. It keeps my life in suspense with its dose of surprises and disappointments.

I've met some great people this week. Some friendships and relationships that will definitely make a big impact in my goals and upcoming projects.

No matter what the week throws at me, I know I just need to find ways to tackle each and everyone of the challenges, even if there are five all at once, and then keep pushing.

I had coffee with the Founder of Gymboree, Joan Barnes. As she told me her journey, she left me with a piece of advice: "AAA". What's "AAA?" I said. She said, "Accept and Adapt." Or as my business partner Gary translated it, "Roll with the punches." It makes sense.

I also met another individual that have what I call "super powers" - she seems to be able to do almost anything and a lot of things. Could be good, could be bad. But her life motto is "Pay it Forward." I don't really meet that many people - but I believe this concept is a very powerful one and has lasting effects in many people's lives.

Visual Overload

2012-01-28T21:46:00.000-08:00

In the world of visual overload, Tumblr and Instagram are the king and queen of providing this visual overload to my generation. And I am in love. Here are snapshots from my Instagram.

Yulya Mango

2012-01-20T23:06:00.001-08:00

From the Love+Keep photo shoot.

Remember When ...

2012-01-18T22:53:00.001-08:00

Photo by Mike Polce

Remember when I used to do so many photo shoots? I decided to choose a different path. But I still love photography like no other.

Mentors and Advisors

2012-01-18T00:51:00.000-08:00

Photo by Rendy Lai

I am very lucky to have several mentors and advisors who are helping me steer into the right direction. As the saying goes, "stand on the shoulder of giants."

My Top Ten Shoots for 2011

2011-12-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

I did not do as many shoots as 2009 and 2010, but I did have some many memorable shoots with several amazing models, makeup artists, hairstylists, wardrobe stylists and designers. As tradition (see last year's) here are this year's top ten memorable shoots:

10. Amalie - This was shot in Copenhagen. I had four shoots during my stay in that wonderful city, and my favorite was with Amalie. It was a very simple shoot and Amalie rocked it! She did her own makeup and hair, brought her clothes, it rained too but we made the most out of the day and shot at Hotel Denmark.

9. Love + Keep - I got to finally do a shoot with my friend Van Kim Le who is an amazing jewelry designer, all handcrafted with love! I also brought out model Yulya Mango out of retirement as well. And I was finally reunited with Christina Chen and made her and the team some amazing crepes during hair and makeup!

8. Maxime - former Miss Pacifica and one of my favorite models to work with, Maxime has such a beautiful face. Always a special time each time I do a shoot with her. And great outcomes as well! More

7. Ropa Pura - Photoshoot with designer Jumpei Ando, model Deborah, and makeup artist Justine T. in Paris!! This was my first shoot in Paris and it was an incredible experience doing a shoot with an amazing team and in an amazing Parisian neighborhood. Jumpei was also a designer I've been in contact with for months, and it was surreal actually doing a shoot together.

6. Anastasia Hisel - In the midst of the ASTONISH launch event and New York Fashion Week, I had the opportunity to sneak in a photo shoot with Anastasia at our rented loft in Little Italy. Despite not having a prep team and limited daylight, we pulled of a pretty fun shoot. I wish I could do another shoot with this amazing model, who now grace the pages of Cosmopolitan Magazine December Issue.

5. Boditecture - I teamed up with architect and designer Wen Guo of Boditecture for a fashion show onboard a yacht party hosted by Peanut Labs. I casted models Yulya Mango, Maxime Kumler, Bethany Pifer, Liana Estillore, and Alexis Hutt for the fashion show and did a fun shoot on the yacht beforehand.

4. Danielle Lo - I shot with her about a year ago, and it took us a long time to finally shoot again. I had the pleasure of doing a shoot, a very fun one, with the beautiful exotic Danielle Lo with makeup artist Diana Su. She's super famous now - already on the cover of several publications and the 2012 Import Tuner calendar! More

3. Morgan O'Marro - Funny story, Morgan messaged me back in 2009 to do a shoot - and it took me two years to finally say yes - but I wish I did say yes awhile back because she is one of the best models I've ever worked with!! All I can say is, cannot wait to do another shoot with her again! This one was styled by Diana Su and makeup by the wonderful Regard Tang.

2. Paula Newlands - This was two birds with one stone: I was dying to do another shoot with my favorite Brazilian model Paula Newlands and also shoot in Los Angeles again. It was like an itch finally being scratched. Also I discovered the wonderful Ashley Gomila, who is an amazing professional makeup artist based in Los Angeles! We were also joined by Carlos Jamieson, who is also one of the best Hollywood-based hairstylist! Very solid team. We shot this in Santa Monica on a beautiful November day!

1. Sille Sepp - Paris. Enough said.
I messaged a modeling agency in Paris to send me someone to test with, I did not realize they would send me an angel. Sille is perhaps the most amazing model I've ever shot with. I was also joined by an amazing design student Anh Duong from Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, one of the most prestigious fashion schools in the world. On top of that, Mika Asoh was our talented makeup artist from Japan. It was a shoot I'll never forget - shooting in front of the Eiffel Tower, the pebble-stoned pathways, amazing alleyways, beautiful weather ... I'll be back in Paris someday.

Goodbye 2011. It was a pretty memorable year. I look forward to what 2012 brings!

This is my dream office space

2011-12-06T13:57:00.001-08:00

Models Telling Jokes

2011-11-30T11:18:00.001-08:00

Models Telling Jokes

By Brendan Norman and me!

(okay, Brendan did most of the work but it was my idea! LOL)

Valeska & Lauren - Malibu Shoot

2011-11-29T11:07:00.001-08:00

I was dying to update my portfolio after so many busy months of running ASTONISH. I also wanted to take advantage of the amazing Los Angeles weather - 82 degrees over the Thanksgiving Weekend. I was able to get the amazing MUA Ashley Gomila and Hollywood Hairstylist Carlos Jamieson as part of my team. This was shot in Malibu, California (can't get any better) in a really nice beach-view property. I was joined by Brendan Norman and Judy Lien as part of my posse.

Here is a first look.

I am Thankful for ...

2011-11-24T12:56:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for everyone who is part (or was a part) of the ASTONISH Team - past, present, and future - particularly those that believed since the beginning and continue to do so.

LOVE + KEEP

2011-11-24T00:01:00.001-08:00

Van Kim Le is a very talented and passionate jewelry designer. I met her at a trade show in San Francisco. Walking past by her booth, I couldn't stop but notice the fine hand-crafted and intricate work that she puts into her jewelry. Since then we've blossomed into really good friends and also helping each other with our individual projects. Click here for more LOVE + KEEP.

Take a peek at our collaboration with my one of my favorite models Yulya Mango and the fabulous makeup artist and crepe-hungry machine Christina Chen.