The Joy Luck Club

The duo behind YanYan takes play very seriously. Phyllis Chan and Suzzie Chung share how they are shaking up the world of knitwear while having absolute fun.

- VALECIA LEE

Known for marrying grandma chic with an infectious youthfulness, contemporary Hong Kong-based knitwear label YanYan has garnered a cult following since its inception in 2019. It was founded by designers and childhood friends Phyllis Chan and Suzzie Chung, who first met in high school. "We both loved fashion and design and art, going to the movies, shopping, reading comics. It was our dream to have our own brand back then, even though we had no idea what that would entail," recounts Chan. In the following decade after graduating from their respective colleges, Chung continued to hone her skills as a print designer in Hong Kong while Chan headed for New York, where she would eventually become the Director of Knitwear at American fashion label rag & bone.

In 2018, the two friends came together to achieve their longtime dream of starting a label.

Translated to "everybody" in Cantonese, the pair envisioned YanYan as a knitwear label with thoughtfully designed products for all. Guided by this inclusive ethos, the garments are embedded with a bevy of irreverent details― such as clashing patterns and unusual colour combinations— intended to liberate wearers from the influence of trends and the fear of committing a fashion faux pas.