Grace Chan (GC): As someone who is multitasking between work, family and life every day, and notices other women who are doing the same, I know that a lot of us probably wish that we had an extra hour in the 24-hour day.

As such, I wanted to dedicate this collection to the modern women of many hats by curating round-the-clock pieces for both work and play – a bodysuit and blazer for the professional career woman, casual tops, and rompers for casual weekends with the family, and dressier one-pieces for the nights out. I hope that this capsule collection can simplify our process of picking out outfits at the start of the day by incorporating picks that are classic, versatile yet chic.

GC: I first started discussing with the Love, Bonito team about my vision for this collection in the later part of 2021, and decided on the theme, the “25-Hour Woman”. For this collection, I selected some of my favourite Love, Bonito items that were constantly on repeat. I then worked closely –and frequently– with the team to discuss how I could change these up a little to infuse my personal style.

During the process, I think the hardest part was narrowing my choices to ensure that the pieces I chose were suitable for different occasions – be it for work, staying home, a date night out or weekends with the family. Working with the design team, we explored a whole range of colour choices. It was really key for me to find contrasting colours to represent my outfit choices for the weekdays and the weekend, day and night, and it took many sessions of trial and error to find colours that not only looked good when I visualised them but also on the actual product.

GC: If I had to choose, my favourite item would be the lilac Jayke Ruffle Tiered Midaxi dress – and dare I say, it’s going to be everyone’s favourite piece as well. I genuinely believe that this dress is THE “must-have” item in your closet perfect for an impromptu Sunday brunch, a day at the park with your kids, or even a date night —just make sure to accessorise and pop on some heels! And don’t even get me started on that perfect purple hue… swoon.

GC: I tend to gravitate towards classic looks with a “wow” factor! And I especially think nothing is more ‘classic’ than a simple tone-on-tone outfit. That’s why you’ll see outfits like a purple top with pants in a similar hue or a “pink” look, which encompass just this. Another thing I strongly believe is how colours add so much more fun when it comes to dressing up.

I start by finding one fashion item in my closet that I want to wear, and then build a full outfit to complement it. That is why for this collection, I included versatile pieces in easy neutral colours which are basic building blocks for any wardrobe, as well as more statement pieces in pastels such as lilac, pinks and blues to add a pop of colour to every outfit.

GC: I usually wake up around 8am to get the kids ready for school. The bus picks them up around 8:45 am so it’s a good 45 minutes for us to get washed, brush our teeth, have some breakfast and have a morning chat before we start our day. When they are in school, I try to fit in some work calls, Zoom meetings, or social media work.

One important element of my day is my devotional time through prayer and quiet meditation, which usually happens in the early morning as well. After lunch, the kids return from school and on most days go down for a nap. During this time, I will try to sneak out to buy some groceries or run some quick errands.

Upon getting home, I usually make a late lunch for my husband unless he’s at work. When the kids get up from their nap around 3-4 pm, that’s when we go out a second time to the park or the harbour, or to do some kind of activity outdoors. We make it a habit as a family to get as much fresh air as possible rather than staying indoors and having too much screen time.

After around two hours, we then go home and get the kids washed up before dinner. My helper or I will prepare dinner and afterwards, my kids are allowed one hour of television time before bed. Most mothers will tell you that “me time” begins after the kids go to sleep. The same goes for me, which is why I usually delegate my more important work to the nighttime – script reading and memorising, more social media work, and planning work for the next day. I usually go to bed after a late-night shower which is around 1 or 2 am…it’s not the greatest sleeping habit, but that’s why I always say we could all use an extra hour!

GC: Time for myself or with my husband usually happens after the kids go to sleep around 8 or 9 pm, which to me, is plenty of time. We don’t actually “miss” couple time because we enjoy hanging out with our kids a lot.

I definitely do experience mom guilt when I am unable to spend as much time with my kids because of work. A lot of that guilt stems from comparing myself to others – when I go online and see mothers doing it all, seemingly managing their careers and families so effortlessly, I feel bad about myself. But, I think the key thing to do is to stop comparing ourselves to others, and I constantly remind myself to do what I can, try my best and that is enough.

GC: Motherhood has changed my priorities in life – I realised that taking care of my family and children is most important to me. Being able to see my boys grow up is extremely worthwhile and fulfilling for me. It’s the reason I have lessened my on-screen time and pivoted my work commitments so that I can spend more time with them.

What I like the most about being a mother is that I can watch them grow and teach them new things. Through that process, I am also learning more about myself and growing as an individual too. This is the best role I have ever taken on.

GC: I have just started filming the second season of the TVB talk show “Mamas’Day” 《日日 妈妈声》and in May, I will be the lead host of a talk show on TVB Pearl. When I first joined the entertainment industry, I wanted to be a successful talk show host. As such, I’m very excited to be able to host on my own for the first time this year.

Shop the collection here.

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