How I Shop: Jessica Wang

We all buy clothes, but no two people shop the same. It can be a social experience, and a deeply personal one; at times, it can be impulsive and entertaining, at others, purpose-driven, a chore. Where do you shop? When do you shop? How do you decide what you need, how much to spend and what's "you"? These are some of the questions we're putting to prominent figures in our column "How I Shop."

Long before amassing a global audience of around 7 million on Instagram and TikTok, Jessica Wang clocked her burgeoning sense of style at age 16, when she moved to the United States from Tianjin, China.

"I remember my guidance counselor told my dad, 'Please get her something normal to wear.' He didn't use the word 'weird,' but that was the sense I was getting," she says, recalling how her "quirky" aesthetic stood out in a sea of utilitarian puffer coats. "To think back, it's not weird at all. It's quite fashion-forward." She pauses, then breaks out into a mischievous smile: "You guys are just boring!"

After graduating from Bentley University, Wang found herself toiling in finance at Morgan Stanley in New York City. In 2014, she started a blog, NotJessFashion, as a side project, to explore self-expression through fashion. Brands quickly took notice, and Wang eventually jumped into content-creating full-time.

She's since regularly partnered with the likes of Dior, Balmain, Saint Laurent and LaPointe, and expanded her empire into a family business: Her husband Daniel, also a finance escapee, is her official photographer and videographer — and a willing one.

"It takes patience," says Wang, about imparting constant pointers and art direction to a reluctant Instagram Spouse. (Although, she points out, Daniel always had an interest in photography.) "Because no matter how creative they are, you have your own vision. So it's a lot of communication — and a lot of fighting."

Their daughters, 11-year-old Hazel and 8-year-old Capri, are models and influencers, too, with 141K followers on their shared Instagram, @hazelandcapri (and over 4 million likes on TikTok). And like mom, they're also prepping for Fashion Month.

"They're walking a runway show for the first time," says Wang, about the next gen's debut on the Rookie USA runway. The trio will also be sitting front row at Prabal Gurung's show. "It can be cool, but also chaotic — for me," she adds, about bringing the kids to work. "But they're very into fashion."

During Fashion Month, Wang regularly shares content from the front row, alongside celebrities and fellow influencers. This season, her schedule will take her from New York to Milan to Paris; to prep, she's booked her Joanna Czech facial and nail art at the newly opened Madison 25: "I've got to get everything done before I leave for the whole month!" Wang says she's looking forward to supporting her designer friends, including Peter Do, Bach Mai and Grace Ling.

Ahead, she breaks down how she works with brands to compile her Fashion Month wardrobe, what she packs for her travels (spoiler: 30 pairs of heels) and where she impulse shops during her free moments in Paris.

"My style is ever-changing, just because I'm not afraid to try anything. I like to take risks on the carpet — like at Cannes, I was wearing Iris van Herpen (above). The dress was so beautiful. It was like a butterfly shape, very 3D and so unique. It was just a truly special piece. My stylist Ugo Mozie and I will always have a mood board, but we'll also talk about really breaking the boundary. We don't want to do the same style over and over. We want to try different things.

"[Styling for fashion shows] really depends on what the brands have for you. Sometimes, we'll do in-person fittings — that's usually the best, and they'll give you a selection to pick from.  Sometimes, they have already pre-selected for you. Then, there are times they just send you lookbooks or maybe two-to-three looks that they have in mind for you. Everyone has a different flow.

"A lot of times, you want to experiment, but if they only have two options for you, you're limited to those options. But you can get creative and add your personality to that. We can really put in our style with shoes and jewelry. My favorite accessories are shoes and bold earrings — that's where I get to play. But for the most part, I use pieces from the brand, just because it's respectful.

"We can [sometimes] mix-and-match certain pieces [into branded outfits] for events, so I get to do something that I want and showcase designers that I love. Right now, I'm really obsessed with Germanier; it's based in Paris and very cool, very colorful.

"[To travel to Milan and Paris], I pack, actually, a lot — probably 30 pairs of shoes, and they're all really high platforms, so they take up a lot of room. The summer is a little bit better, because we don't have those bulky coats. We do pack a lot of stuff for events and random things that we pop into, like a presentation, a meeting or a dinner. Sometimes, brands will send [the items] there, but sometimes we bring it over. Italian brands, like Fendi or Tod's [will have fittings in NYC. and] we will just bring it to Milan and leave it there for returns.

"I have a lot of little packing hacks that I came up with over the years. I like to put all my shoes and clothes in transparent bags, so it's easier for me to figure out what I actually packed and what else I need. When I get to the hotel, I open my suitcase and I can grab the stuff right away and get going. Efficiency is so important to me. I also have additional sets of toiletry bags and makeup bags in my suitcase, so I don't need to repack those.

"I will shop for things to mix into [my fashion month loans], especially the basics and things that I can mix-and-match. I love shopping on Ssense — that's my favorite place because they just have so many new and cool designers. I also love discovering new trends on it. Luisaviaroma is great if you're shipping it to Europe, because it's actually cheaper.

"I also DM brands, and I'll just be like, 'Oh, I love these pieces and would love to collaborate somehow and showcase your brand.' They'll send lookbooks or some pieces to me, and I bring them with me.

"While I'm in Paris, I always tell my S.A. [sales associate] at Hermès, 'Save me some pieces,' especially because everyone's looking for a Birkin. I'll let her know ahead of time, so then she can save me some good stuff. I also shop Chanel.

"I don't ever shop French brands in U.S., because it's just so much cheaper to shop in Paris. I get all my shopping done there. I usually don't even do my research before I go. I literally just pop in and am like, 'Okay, this one, this one...' I don't shop that frequently, so that's my excuse."

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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