Courtney Chew Makes Waves in the Fashion Industry

Growing up, Courtney Chew had her heart set on becoming her own boss.

“Even when I landed my first job at 16, [I knew that] at the end of the day I wanted to work for myself,” Chew recalled. She was inspired by her parents — a business owner and a free-lance interior and fashion designer — to “do something different and be on her own.”

The 29-year-old brand marketer is now living the girl boss dream after launching her own lifestyle brand, OCIN, last May. Featured in Glamour Magazine as one of “The Best New Fashion Brands of 2018” and as one of our “19 Asian Millennial Women You Should Know,” Chew’s OCIN is making a splash with its inaugural line of swimwear made from 100% recycled polyester sourced from plastic bottles.

MAKINGS OF AN ENTREPRENEUR

OCIN may be the new girl on the block, but Chew is no stranger to the fashion scene. Armed with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia and years of corporate experience at reputable brands, including Aritzia, Wings and Horns and Kit + Ace, she developed a mastery for helping businesses to discover their distinct voice in their community.

“I was able to engage an entrepreneurial mindset throughout every role I’ve been thrown at,” Chew said. “A lot of the times I was put in a position where we were working with a start-up or growing company that entails you to take on a number of different roles and responsibilities.”

From managing retail and marketing strategies, leading operations, and building out store environments and experiences, Chew’s ability to wear multiple hats and her zest for learning ultimately gave her the confidence to fly solo.

“If I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t have anyone telling me what to do. I just had to figure it out,” Chew described. “The necessity to take the initiative and find the answers really prepared me to have the mindset of starting OCIN on my own when I’ve never started a business before.”

Expectations VS. Reality

Chew knew starting a business was not going to be easy, especially as a one-woman show.

“I am so lucky and fortunate to have an amazing group of awesome and talented friends and a supportive community that can help me,” Chew said.

The Vancouver-based entrepreneur confessed that everyday she still wakes up questioning herself.

“What took the fear out of everything for me was realizing that it’s totally okay to fail,” Chew said. This mindset gave her the final push to launch OCIN after four years of preparation. “Even if everything fails, it’s still is a great learning experience that nothing else can give me,” she added.

“BELOW THE SURFACE”

A self-proclaimed Type A introvert, Chew admits that she has come a long way since her university and early career years to open up and embrace her vulnerable side.

“I noticed that the more open I am with sharing, so many more people around me are willing to share as well,” Chew explained. “It just takes you being less fearful and less scared of the idea of being vulnerable. Once you’re over that, the revelations and conversations you can have with people are more profound when you just let your guard down.”

Chew emphasized the importance of self care. Two years ago, she experienced a burnout that manifested itself in a myriad of health issues, including insomnia, anxiety and eczema. “It’s important to take care of yourself to be able to do what you want to do in the future,” Courtney said.

To stay grounded amidst her hectic entrepreneurial lifestyle, Chew makes sure to schedule in activities she enjoys and takes time every morning for “beditations” (from her friend Anita’s company, In Bed With Betty). 

“Spending time with family these days has been very important,” Chew added.

SHIFTING MINDSETS

The trend towards conscious consumption and social awareness has made lifestyle brands more relevant than ever.

“What got me into the idea is just realizing how much stuff there is in the world and how we are always creating,” Chew said.

Instead of adding to the clutter and waste, she intends to “use [OCIN] to shift people’s mindsets into thinking that their individual action can actually matter in the greater scheme of things.”

Chew urges others to consider environmentally-conscious options, such as buying a product with a recycle component or a product using reusable or recyclable packaging.

“Our consumption habits are shifting as a whole. People are more intentional about their spending. People are wanting to know where things are coming from, where their product is made and what goes into it — and they’re curious about the stories.”

ON SHANGHAI AND CHINESE FASHION

The founder of OCIN  draws inspiration from travelling. “When you travel you are a lot more open and feel limitless. You are more willing to try new things, eat new foods or sit next to a stranger at a restaurant and talk to them.”

Chew visited Shanghai for the first time last year, describing it as “a crazy eye-opener and experience.”

“Shanghai fashion is very luxury and expensive,” Chew said. “There are so many brands available plus local Chinese designers that exist there as well.”

She noticed how brands can often become more disposable due to the wealth and accessibility.

“It’s a totally different game to market there,” Chew explained. “The way you engage with the Asian demographic and appeal to Chinese demographic, even the language, is totally different from North America. You need to come out with something interesting and distinct to get their eye.”

Chew commented on the recent Dolce & Gabbana marketing misstep in China — releasing a controversial ad of a Chinese model eating pasta with chopsticks. “It just goes to show that there is still a lot of unawareness and insensitivity to different cultures and how one perceives another culture,” Chew said.

CONNECTING WITH ROOTS

Chew comes from a tight family of four but was fortunate to grow up with all her extended family members in Vancouver. “I always had the familial connection ingrained in my childhood. I don’t think I could ever envision a life without them,” Chew said.

“My sister and I are very close. We used to do everything together. We’re only 18 months apart … because you’re so close, there’s just that mutual respect that really brought us close early on,” Chew explained. Naturally, OCIN would be inspired by her and her sister’s name, Nicole.

Once Chew reached adulthood, she developed a newfound appreciation for “what her parents have done growing up and what they did for the family.”

She loves hearing stories from her parents about their lives in the early days of Vancouver — how it was like for her late grandparents immigrating to a new country, raising a big family without knowing English, and starting a whole new life that was rooted in Vancouver’s Chinatown.

“It’s helped me to feel more connected to my Chinese roots,” Chew said.

SAYING YES AND FINDING YOUR PURPOSE

Chew offered some words of wisdom from her entrepreneurial and personal journey.

“Something that has helped me over the past few years is [saying] yes to opportunities. If something comes up, just try it. The worst that can happen is that it doesn’t work out the way you want it to be, but you learn so much just from that experience alone.”

“Think about who you are as a person and why you exist. If you know yourself and why you exist as a human on this earth, it gives you more focus and power in making decisions that will make you feel happy and fulfilled.”

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