Away from the craziness of the entertainment industry, Keung To of Hong Kong boyband Mirror is all about the simple life, a concept he embraced when establishing his own clothing brand, To Zero, which represents ‘returning to simplicity’
Hong Kong boyband Mirror’s Keung To is marching to his own beat and into the fashion world with his new brand, To Zero, which will be launching this Sunday (April 30) to coincide with his 24th birthday.
“It’s so cool to be able to have people who like you wear clothing that represents your attitude," he tells us earlier this week when he invited Tatler to the Upper House for a chat and preview of his first collection. He also shared with us that To Zero symbolises a “return to simplicity”, his views on music and life, and the insights he gathered along the way since becoming famous.
How would you describe your personal style?
My everyday clothing is mostly very simple and low-key.
I often have to dress up on stage, and wear a lot of bold outfits and accessories. So when I don’t have to work, I prefer to wear comfortable clothes. And my most-worn combination would probably be a suit jacket or a hoodie. I love hoodies because they are simple and always look good, and I can just pull up the hood and go out without having to style my hair. As for the suit jacket, I love how easy it is to pair with a plain t-shirt, it helps me get out the door so quickly.
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How do you “return to zero” in your daily life, and how do you keep yourself happy?
I enjoy eating, I’m so happy when I get to taste delicious food. Whenever I finish a concert or accomplish something important, I like to go have hot pot, especially with my family. The atmosphere is always happy and enjoyable.
My daily life is pretty simple and revolves mainly around performing, playing basketball and eating. It may seem monotonous, but they really are the sources of my happiness. Everyone has a different definition of happiness—for me, doing what I love is enough.
What motivated you to create To Zero, and what message are you trying to convey?
I had the idea to start my own brand after two years in the entertainment industry. I saw my peers creating their own fashion brands, which I thought was cool. It’s also cool to be able to have people who like you wear clothing that represents your attitude.
As I gained more experience in the industry, I had more motivation to try it myself. The concept behind To Zero is “returning to zero”, to approach life minimally. In society, it seems like everyone wants a lot of things, but we don’t actually need that much. By letting go of things, we can find happiness that lasts. Because simplicity is happiness.