YOU RECENTLY MADE IT INTO THE FORBES 30 UNDER 30 ASIA LIST, WHAT WAS THE MOMENT YOU REALISED YOU HAD TO LEAVE YOUR ENGINEERING CAREER BEHIND AND FOCUS ON NAILCISSIST FULL TIME?

I WORKED IN ENGINEERING FOR AROUND FOUR YEARS AND SPENT SIX MONTHS JUGGLING MY FULL-TIME JOB WITH BUILDING NAILCISSIST. EVENTUALLY, I REALISED I NEEDED TO GIVE ONE CAREER MY FULL FOCUS, SO I CHOSE NAILCISSIST AND LEFT ENGINEERING.

THAT IS A HUGE LEAP TO MAKE BUT A WORTHWHILE ONE, WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN THE CRAZIEST MOMENT FOR THE BRAND SO FAR?

THE MIFFY COLLABORATION. IT WAS OVER A YEAR IN THE MAKING AN SOLD OUT WITHIN THE LAUNCH WEEKEND. SEEING CUSTOMERS LOVE SOMETHInG WE HAD WORKED SO HARD ON BEHIND THE SCENES WAS AN INCREDIBLE MOMENT.

THE MIFFY COLLECTION TRULY WAS A CRAZY MOMENT FOR ALL OF US AND OUR CUSTOMERS TOO, HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH COLLABORATIONS TO PURSUE?

IT IS A MIX OF WHAT IS TRENDING, WHAT OUR AUDIENCE LOVES, WHAT ALOGNS WITH OUR BRAND AND WHAT I PERSONALLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE BROUGHT TO LIFE. 

SO FAR IN 3 YEARS OF NAILCISSIST, WHAT'S THE BIGGEST THING YOU'VE LEARNT ABOUT RUNNING A BRAND?

Never underestimate marketing. It is one of the most important parts of running an e-commerce brand, and you constantly need to develop fresh ideas and new ways to execute them.

COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THE MOST CHALLENGING DESIGN YOU'VE EVER CREATED?

Classic Miffy and Boris in the Woods from our Miffy collection. Although the overall design appears quite simple, a lot of thought went into it. The designs use Dick Bruna’s bright primary colour palette, which initially felt very different from our branding. The challenge was creating something that still felt distinctly Miffy while remaining true to Nailcissist, and I think we achieved that!

THE MIFFY COLLECTION DESIGNS ARE TRULY ONE OF KIND, HOWEVER WHAT IS YOUR MOST WORN DESIGN?

Liquid Silver. It is an original Nailcissist design that feels edgy yet timeless, so I can never go wrong with it.

WHAT'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE DESIGN PROCESS THAT WOULD SURPRISE PEOPLE WHO ONLY SEE THE FINISHED PRODUCT?

People usually only see the final design, but some styles go through many rounds of sampling before they are approved. Even the smallest details, colours or charm placements can take multiple revisions to get right.

DESCRIBE 2027 NAILCISSIST IN ONE WORD.

TREND SETTER.

AND FINALLY CAN YOU GIVE US ANY HINTS ABOUT WHAT'S COMING UP FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR?

It is still a secret, but another collaboration will be launching towards the end of the year.