Where should aspiring sustainable jewellers begin their journey education and experience wise?

Know the origin of everything and travel to the source if you can. For me, it was a life-changing trip to see a gemstone mine in Sri Lanka during my final year of studies at the Royal College of Alt. Seeing is believing - I was shocked and saddened to see the working conditions of the mine, the risks and the inequality of the excavation of such precious things - there was nothing romantic and beautiful about it, and it was at that moment I decided to explore alternative options and began my research into championing laboratory-grown and -created gemstones in my own fine jewellery collections.

Having awareness is key - then you can make considered decisions that are compassionate and responsible. As with all discipline, I believe it is about learning from the past, to offer a different perspective in the present, and always with a dream for a better future.

How have you seen consumer habits change when it comes to buying fine jewellery online?

As we become more connected and social online, so have our purchasing habits. There has definitely been an exponential rise in buying luxury fine jewellery online - from websites and e-boutiques to Instagram and WhatsApp. We have seen the growth in our e-boutique and Shop by Instagram - I manage my own Insta account as it is a great way to connect with my clients and people who love what we do. It allows for spontaneous and direct conversations, a clear insight with our brand ethos, inspirations and aesthetics. It also allows us to showcase different styling and more casual ways to wear fine jewellery every day. Although I love brick and mortar stores, I buy everything online too as it is open 24/7.

You were born in Hong Kong, what does a perfect 24 hours in the city look like?

Last time I visited the city for my Lane Crawford trunk show I stayed at the Four Seasons with the most beautiful city skyline by night, and that harbour view never gets old. Lane Crawford and Joyce have great edits and I always pay the stores a visit as our collections are stocked there. I stop by the Nail Library for a great manicure before wandering the streets and boutiques of Soho and pick up flowers from Ellermann. I always shop at the market stalls from Cat Street to the Women's Market in Causeway Bay and love independent boutiques at the local malls in TST for something different. I love the spa at the Mandarin Oriental for massage and reflexology, and find their treatments really help to combat jet-lag. I am a big foodie and growing up my father always had a booth on Sundays at Luk Yu Tea House in Central for lunch, and dinner at the China Club. I love Mott 32, Chachawan and Mrs Pound - the great cocktails at Bibo and the terrace at Sevva with that incredible view. But above all, I love the street food - from egg waffles to robata-style skewers at the street stalls. There is this fantastic tiny local diner in Shurn Shui Po that serves the best rice paper rolls (cheung-fun) in the city- you share tables, it is messy, chaotic and always packed, but I love it!

Easy access to nature is one thing I love about Hong-Kong and I take advantage of this during my trips. I lived in HK until the age of ten just above Hong Kong Park, and my grandfather used to walk with me to the aviary, and that is always a sanctuary amidst the concrete jungle. Last time my friend took me on a five-hour hike on the island and a boat ride to Half Moon Bay where I swam in the clearest, glistening turquoise water that I never knew existed in HK.

Taxidermy is one of your passions, how did your interest in this develop and what are your most prized pieces and creations?

I used to design prints and embroideries for Alexander McQueen, and I would be painting and drawing the exotic birds, flora and fauna in infinite details - the taxidermy made it possible to study them up close from direct observations. I have been collecting butterflies and beetles for two decades, where I worked with local entomologists in my travels to study them, and I also collect specimen that died naturally in the wild, their knocks and dents and imperfections are the more beautiful. My most prized pieces are the Bloom Sculptures I created for my first solo exhibition in New York in 2016 - hundreds of iridescent wings set on an 18k gold and brass structure resembling blossoming blooms, housed under a series of hand-blown tinted crystal glass bubble domes on hand­carved translucent white quartz bases.