31 May 2019
Dr Leo Yeung
Co-Founder, Cashmere Song Fashion Co Ltd
Founder, Maisson (Hong Kong) Commercial Property
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), International Business
Dr Leo Yeung has followed his heart, chased his family’s dreams and cleverly cross-stitched his fashion, business and property industry experience to carve out a niche property company Maisson Commercial Property and fashion brand Cashmere Song all over the world.
Dr Yeung started his career in the fashion industry in the late 1980s, working in far flung cities across Asia, North America and Europe. In 1989 he settled in Hong Kong as Design Manager for Esprit Asia.
“As a student in Hong Kong in the early 80s there were few opportunities for students to get a university degree, but higher education had long been a dream for me” says Dr Yeung.
When Esprit Asia publicly-listed in 1991, Leo found an opportunity to further his education. He quit and enrolled in a Master’s degree at Hong Kong Polytechnic University to explore the research topic ‘Push and pull factor in China Economic’ after Deng Xiao Ping’s South China tour.
His interest in furthering his education didn’t end however, he says, “I saw an interview with a PhD candidate who had just graduated at the age of 80 – he regretted not finishing his PhD 20 or 30 years before so he had more time to contribute to society. His interview drove me to undertake my PhD at UniSA in International Business.”
In the mid-90s, while studying, Dr Yeung was then invited to start up the Australian brand Jeanswest in China. He served as Director and General Manager for Jeanswest China from 1994, guiding the development of 1000 stores before the company publicly listed in 1996.
In the new millennium a serendipitous opportunity arose, leading to a career shift from fashion to commercial property.
“A renowned real estate company had invited our fashion brand to open a flagship store in one of their new shopping malls. I found the mall location good but the wrong trade mix,” Dr Yeung says.
“I suggested brands for the real estate company and the shopping mall opened successfully. Then the CEO of the real estate company asked me to join them as the China Commercial Property Retail Head.”
After a number of years leading teams in commercial property for different companies Dr Yeung started his own company – Maisson Commercial Property – an asset management company for commercial property development.
Dr Yeung says that different businesses have their challenges. He sees fashion and design as a merging of art and science.
“Property on the other hand is a complicated business,” he says. “Once we design and build a shopping mall there are thousands of workers in the mall at different periods of time." Regulations on construction, fire safety, legal… Each day presents a new challenge – which I enjoy.
“Currently I am working on a theme park project based on designs that were originally made by a famous Chinese Kung Fu internet game, which I hope will help more kids feel happy in the environment.”
In his spare time he is also supporting his wife’s dream to lead her own high end fashion design business – Cashmere Song - which he co-manages.
Fashion Show)
Dr Yeung’s wife Song Hong had harboured a dream to run her own fashion label since graduating from the Inner Mongolia Design School in 1992. When she decided it was time to pursue her dream she enlisted her husband’s support.
“We travelled to her home town to talk with the shepherds in the grasslands of Mongolia,” he says. “The local people like a drink and they are hospitable and willing to share their experiences."
“We started to talk with people about their changes in living and the culture due to development in Mongolia. They enjoyed their life in grasslands where they have their own culture, generation to generation.
City development has changed their living and their culture as well.
“One night, I walked with my wife under the moon, the grassland was so silent, and we came up with an idea to develop a fashion brand by using the cashmere that the shepherds crafted.
“I put the Cashmere and her surname Song together as her namesake. We knew the brand should have Mongolian culture, using local materials but with international designs. And that’s how the brand Cashmere Song started.”
Originally the couple planned to open a small shop but this plan quickly changed from retail to wholesale to further sales that in turn help many in the Mongolian shepherd business. It now sells through showrooms in China, Hong Kong, New York and London.
When asked if he has plans to extend sales in Australia he says, “It is a great idea to have a wholesale showroom in Australia due to the different season in the southern hemisphere.”
“The brand has limitations to sell cashmere in winter – but our buyers expect summer lines, so together we have developed new technologies by mixing silk and cashmere for Spring/Summer, and mixing cashmere with leather or fake fur for Fall/Winter.”
With the high quality of the Inner Mongolia cashmere and Song Hong’s design skills, the brand has won multiple awards and is now featured in more than 500 shops in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the United States & China.
Dr Yeung’s business and family interests bring him great joy, which he hopes to share with others.
“Happiness is all we need, I hope my skills through our endeavours brings more happiness to the people who enjoy them,” he says.
To learn more about Dr Yeung’s businesses, visit Maisson (Hong Kong) Commercial Property and Cashmere Song.
