Interview: Susie Bubble and Bryanboy Talk Blogging, Fashion Family and More
We were invited to a conversation about the family between two mega influencers - Bryan Gray Yambao, known as Bryanboy, who just left Manhattan to live in Sweden with her husband and their dog Bettina Buffé (formerly influencer on Instagram) and Susanna Lau, known like Susie Bubble, who lives in London with her baby Nico to whom she dedicated herself in the first person, postponing as much as possible the help of a babysitter. They tell us their point of view on the concept of followers and real life. Not appearances, but true bonds.
L'O: You both have a very interesting background. To what extent do your cultural origins influence your work?
Bryanboy: "I owe my family and my cultural origins a series of values on which I base my life. My parents taught me how important it is to work hard and never take anything for granted. Unlike many other fashion industry professionals, I do not have an important family behind me; I am completely independent and I have done it myself ».
Susie Bubble: «I am very proud of my Chinese origins, even if they do not play a decisive role in my professional activity except in specific cases, such as when I think of diversity, the importance of Anglo-Chinese in the arts or when I go to Hong Kong and I look at other designers who express their cultural roots in their work ».
L'O: Are there any people that you consider as close as a real family?
BB: "There are many people that I consider my family, my closest colleagues and friends are Susie Lau, Tina Leung, Declan Chan and Veronika Heilbrunner. The idea that it is impossible to make friends in the fashion world is one of the myths of our times. In this environment there are fantastic people who have always been close to me for good or bad, good and bad. "
SB: "I would say that the people in my" other family "are Bryan (Bryanboy), Tina Leung, Phil Oh (Mr. Street Peeper from Vogue) and Tommy Ton; our careers have followed parallel paths, we have grown together in the fashion industry ".
Here, the two pair talk about their views on the concept of followers and real life. Not just appearances, but the true bonds they share.
L'O: Have your family changed the balance between private life and professional life?
BB: «I never had the problem of reconciling my private life and my work because for my great fortune I have a very sympathetic partner that allows me to always be myself. We have been together for about ten years; when we got married, he knew what he was going to meet. He was with me when I moved from the Philippines to New York and then from New York to Sweden. If nothing else, it's all easier now that we live together. "
SB: «I would say that my priorities concern above all my daughter Nico and my desire to give her the maximum possible attention. And it is for this reason that for a long time I preferred not to hire a babysitter and spend more time with her ».
L'O: What do you think about the idea of posting pictures of the children on social networks? It's a question you're worried about?
BB: "Every parent knows what is best for his children and for himself. However, if I had children of my own, I think a cute photo would be enough from time to time. Of course I would not focus on them my social accounts. I like to think that as a father I would respect my children's right to privacy, something that rarely happens in these times and has become a luxury ".
SB: "I think I pay attention to the frequency with which Nico appears in my social content and in any case it is the stories of Instagram, which are temporary. I do not think those photos are a big deal, although I am aware that one day you may prefer not to appear on the internet. "
L'O: What do you think of the policy regarding LGBT families? Are famous people more fortunate than "ordinary" people who face many difficulties every day to be themselves?
BB: "Thanks to the Obama administration, same-sex marriages in the United States became legal in 2015. It was time for it to happen, as several European countries had already taken steps to regularize civil unions some twenty years ago. I firmly believe in equality and I think that anyone has the right to create a family, whether through adoption or surrogate motherhood. It is sad to see politics and religion exploit these principles to divide people. LGBT rights are clearly under threat, especially if we think of the political tendencies that now prevail in the world and the rise of right-wing populism, nationalism and conservative parties ".
SB: "I know many families who believe in a better world. For me, "different" or non-traditional families that fall into the LGBT category. I do not believe that famous people have an advantage over ordinary people, because fortunately now certain situations are considered normal in many societies ».
L'O: Bryan, consider the possibility of becoming a father and building a family with your husband and your "daughter" Bettina Buffé?
BB: «Absolutely yes. Families are formed either by nature or because they choose to take care of someone. I dream of having a baby one day (my husband would like a boy), but the costs of surrogacy are prohibitive. I would like to have millions of euros, hidden under the mattress. And then there is the option to adopt. There are so many children in the world who need a loving family. I have always looked to adoptive parents as modern heroes. "
Photo by Jessica Sidenros @soderbergagentur
