Are you wondering where the magnificent headdresses for The Empress and The Goddess photoshoot came from? Well, two of the ornate pieces were designed and hand-crafted by Sheila Wong, with assistance from Jenny Li. Sheila has been a long-time friend of Amaterasu Beauty Founder Sara Au Yeong and we had the pleasure of interviewing her on her design process and inspiration.

Question: Tell us about your process designing the headdresses for The Empress and The Goddess photoshoot and aligning it with Sara's vision?

Sheila: My design inspiration almost always come from the materials themselves. After our initial consultation, we set out to find components that spoke to the theme of The Empress and The Goddess. We found a beautiful lace that set the tone and sparked my ideas. Creating the headdresses was a very organic process and I was very conscious of designing and adding embellishments that kept in line with Sara's vision.  

Question: We know you went to fashion school with Sara, so we wanted to know what your favourite memories are together?

Sheila: My favourite memories are of our daily escapes from class to the fabric store and coffee shop (we needed a lot of caffeine). They were always filled with supportive talks and lots of laughter. Fashion school was intense and competitive, not everyone was eager to make friends, but Sara and I became fast friends and I feel so blessed that our friendship has lasted so long.

Question: What do you love most about fashion?

Sheila: What I love most about fashion is that it is an incredibly versatile form of self expression. It has the power to instantly transform a person's appearance as well as their inner self. You can be as playful, bold or avant-garde as you want to be through clothing. I have witnessed first hand the effect clothing has on a person's self esteem. Wearing a favourite article of clothing, accessory, or a trusty outfit can give you a boost of confidence and comfort on those occasions when you need it most.

Question: What is your favourite Amaterasu product?

Sheila: It is so hard to choose just one! I do love the Liquid Eyeliner. It stays on flawlessly throughout the day and I can remove it with just warm water.

Question: What does empowering beauty mean to you?

Sheila: To me, beauty products are powerful tools that can instill confidence and self worth in a person. When someone feels beautiful, they gain strength from that feeling and they empower themselves to become whoever, and achieve whatever, their heart’s desire.

Thank you Sheila for taking the time to work on the beautiful headdresses for The Empress and The Goddess. Both pieces will be auctioned off at the Illumination Gala, where proceeds will go to one of the Dalai Lama's monasteries in India, as well as for the education and basic life needs of the Q’ero children in Peru.