Beauty Biographies is a column where we ask some of our favourite people to reflect on the beauty items that have influenced their lives and have a sentimental place in their heart. From their grandmother’s perfume to the eyeshadow they wore to their first dance these are the products that have had a significant impact on them and that instantly transport them back to a particular time, place, or person.
Yoon Ahn is the Korean-American fashion and jewellery designer taking the industry by storm. Born in Korea, her father’s position in the U.S. Army meant her childhood years were spent travelling from Hawaii to California, before finally settling down in Seattle.
It was after moving to Boston, to study Graphic Design at Boston University, that she began making jewellery in her spare time and giving it as gifts to her friends. Around the same time, she met Japanese rapper Verbal at her local church, and they promptly fell in love. In 2003, the pair moved to Tokyo where they set up their cult jewellery and fashion brand Ambush. One thing led to another, and soon Kanye was seen repping the Ambush ‘POW!’ diamanté pendant. Since then, Yoon has collaborated with everyone from SHU UMERA and Nike to Louis Vuitton, and Off-White, after having befriended Virgil Abloh while they were both interning at Fendi. It was then through Kanye that Yoon met Kim Jones, backstage at her husband’s concert. When Kim was made Creative Director of Dior Homme, he appointed Yoon as Director of Jewerelly. With her star firmly in the ascendant here there jewellery juggernaut talks us through the beauty products that defined her life.
Chanel No. 5
It was on my mom’s vanity mirror as long as I could remember as a kid. It's still so vivid in my mind how it was sitting on this mirror plate.
My first lipstick when I was in my teens. Clinique was my first introduction to skincare and makeup, I don’t know if it was an American thing but all my friends were the same.
Eyeliner has been my thing since I picked up makeup for the first time. Before, in my emo teenage days, I used to draw all around my eyes but now its more cat eye look. I feel naked without a nice eyeliner throughout the day.
Major throwback for me. I was obsessed with dark red and black nail polishes throughout my tortured grunge highschool days. This Rouge Noir one was the fanciest one I owned with other drug store polishes.
