Xiaoyan Lin

Xiaoyan Lin started her women's clothing design career in China in 1989. With a few years of hard work, her at-home business became a success. She had her own factory and multiple retail stores in major cities all over China, she became the first famous fashion designer in China. She and her family were interviewed on national television and her brand was well-known among taxi drivers, flight attendants, and major news broadcasters. She designed beautiful, fitted, contemporary suits and dresses.

She first visited the United States in 1996. She and her husband liked America so much that she decided to sell her business in China and move to the U.S. They worked part-time jobs to support the family in the beginning. In 1999, she opened her boutique in Berkeley and began designing again. She broke through her old design style and her collection became more masculine and architecturally influenced...