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In conversation: Bohan Qiu and Ian Hylton on the evolution of Chinese luxury fashion

STORYGloria Tso
Bohan Qiu (left) and Ian Hylton at the latter’s in-house residency at Rosewood Hong Kong’s Beaureguards boutique. Photo: Alexander Mak
Bohan Qiu (left) and Ian Hylton at the latter’s in-house residency at Rosewood Hong Kong’s Beaureguards boutique. Photo: Alexander Mak
Fashion

Hylton is known for his eponymous label as well as his work on the brand Ms Min, while Qiu is the founder of Shanghai PR agency Boh Project

The remarkable evolution of the Chinese retail market over the past two decades has given rise to a new class of creatives who have put the country on the global luxury map. Since starting his communications and creative agency Boh Project, Shenzhen-born, Shanghai-based Bohan Qiu has become one of the world’s most in-demand publicists, while renowned fashion executive Ian Hylton built a storied career across different continents before making mainland China home. Since 2014, he’s served as president of Chinese luxury womenswear brand Ms Min, founded by his wife Min Liu, while also creating contemporary menswear with his own eponymous line, launched in 2020.

Style sat down with Qiu and Hylton at the latter’s in-house residency at Rosewood Hong Kong’s lifestyle boutique, Beaureguards, to hear more about their friendship over the years and the future of luxury fashion in China.
Ian Hylton’s menswear explores Eastern heritage through modern luxury tailoring. Photo: Handout
Ian Hylton’s menswear explores Eastern heritage through modern luxury tailoring. Photo: Handout
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Bohan Qiu: I started getting into the Ian-slash-Ms Min family through writing. I wrote for the South China Morning Post when I was living in Hong Kong. I was still at university, [then had] just graduated, so I needed money [to buy stuff off] Taobao [laughs]. I can’t remember where we met offline – was it at the MAC [Cosmetics] x Ms Min event [in early 2017]?

Ian Hylton: I don’t know. I’m thinking LA.

BQ: What happened in LA?

IH: A Mr Porter event?

BQ: That was the first year I started working but I don’t think we met there. I was too junior to go to LA [laughs].

IH: OK, so then I’m wrong. I know that Bohan was in my orbit. I’d seen a picture of him before I met him and I just remember thinking, “God, he’s so f***ing beautiful.”

BQ: When you mentioned you were launching your menswear brand, I was very lucky to be cast as one of the models for the first campaign.

IH: And muse!

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