Patty Tung runs the Asian operations of Fera, the ski/leisurewear brand started by her mother. In an exclusive interview with Gafencu, she reveals how fitness and family are eternally intertwined…
Let’s start at the beginning – how did a California girl end up in Hong Kong?
Even though I was born in California, as kids we always spent the summer in Hong Kong visiting relatives. I fell in love with the city and thought: ‘Wow, this place is amazing.’
Was there any culture shock when you moved here permanently?
It was already familiar to me from my childhood visits and my husband is from Hong Kong too. As a result, the city was a constant in my life even before we relocated here.
You’re now running the Asian operations of Fera, your mother’s ski/leisurewear brand. What can you tell us of its history?
After moving from Shanghai to Hong Kong, my grandfather opened a factory here, initially making dress shirts. He then expanded into insulated jackets, a move that saw him working with many premium European ski brands.
In the ‘70s, it struck him that US skiwear was nowhere near as good as that available in Europe. With my mother already based in the US and keen for a new adventure, it was the perfect opportunity to expand into a new market. Using our family’s strong manufacturing background, they set about creating a fashionable skiwear brand – Fera.
How would you define Fera’s USP?
Our motto is ‘Look good, feel good’. While some brands, such as Gore-Tex, major on their technical specifications, we have a more happy-go-lucky ethos. For us, it’s all about wearing something that looks good, feels comfortable and makes you more confident.
How did you come to be involved?
I didn’t get involved full-time until about seven years ago. At that time, as a hardcore skier, I wasn’t really designing for Fera, but more for myself, which wasn’t really what our buyers were looking for.
After a while, I started to take stock of what was actually selling and it wasn’t at allwhat I expected. At the time, our most popular product was a quilted jacket with a fur-trimmed hood – a world away from the kind of technical skiwear I was designing. That’s when I really started to appreciate what we’re really all about. It’s about versatility, not technical specifications.
What lies ahead for Fera?
Right now, we’re expanding and looking to establish ourselves in China. We’re also looking to relaunch our kids’ range. People go skiing as families and we have to factor that in.
How much crossover is there between your work life and your personal life?
Thankfully, my whole family loves skiing. So, every winter, we product test our inventory for ourselves. Even though the Fera range isn’t super technical, it more than meets our needs.
Do you hope your sons will take over from you one day?
I think that’s too far ahead to even think about it too seriously. When I was growing up, it was never a given that I would join the family firm, so there’s no pressure on my kids.
I have told them, though, not expect to have a tenured spot waiting for them and they are used to me saying: ‘You can’t work with mummy or daddy until you’ve proven yourselves.’
Aside from Fera, what else is on your current agenda?
My southern California roots really dictate my lifestyle. Although I grew up in a place where jogging and aerobics are huge, having young children obliges you to give all that up. Two years ago, though, I started working with a personal trainer.
I’ve relished the new challenge and I now feel more energetic and younger than I did five years ago. I want to help others embrace this mindset as well, so I’m thinking about how to merge this with my thoughts on nutrition, a subject I have a degree in. It’s all bubbling in my head at the moment…
What inspires you? Is there a particular maxim you have taken to heart?
That maxim would be: ‘Always learning’.
As for a role model, that would have to be my mother. She really has done it all. She was a competitive swimmer in China and then helped my grandfather launch his factory in Hong Kong. When she moved to the States, she spoke virtually no English but still got into UC Berkeley. As well as being a pioneer female chemist, she also started Fera, got involved in real estate and manages her own stock portfolio.
She taught me that there’s no limit to what you can achieve if you put your mind to it. While we may not have the same interests, it’s her example that keeps me learning and trying new things.
Thank you.
Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Neville Lee
Art Direction & Styling: San Wong
Make-up: Irene Hung
Hair: Billy Wong (E3)
For the full interview with Patty Tung, please check out the latest issue of Gafencu’s print magazine or the PDF version on the Gafencu app. Download the app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store