China’s Cheerful Lookbooker: Zeng Hui (曾晖)

Zeng Hui (曾晖) is a small town girl that hails from the coastal city of Fujian. Studying Fashion Design and New Media at Donghua University Shanghai, she posts photos under the moniker 欢呼cheer on Voguemate, where she first caught my attention. An eye for prints and retro silhouettes, fleeting moments of childishness and a gleeful smile are all thematic trademarks of Zeng. But more importantly, what stood out about her was a contentment that didn’t come from aspirations to be the glamorously rich, or  editorially stylish. Rather, a connective thread of bliss runs throughout all her photos, as she stands somehow indifferent to a country that is very aspirational. I spent sometime with this Lookbooker, who’s approach to life and fashion is refreshingly laid back and open.

Your photos always show somebody who is smiling and cheerful. Your nickname as well , 欢呼cheer, refers to happiness. Why is this? 

I’m the sort of person that loves to laugh in photos, because I liken the feeling to a sun that radiates. I also love to capture people on screen when they are smiling. My nickname 欢呼cheer is a reference to the singer 陈绮贞, since her English name is 做cheer. The way she behaves is the model that I want to emulate, and the idea of cheeriness is really at the core of all of my hopes. 

When taking photographs, some people don’t smile because it looks “chic” and “cool”. What do think of these kinds of people?

I think these kinds of people could deliberately be trying to pursue a feeling. Or, it could be that they are trying not to show their emotions. It’s not anything good or bad, everyone has their own preference in how others see them, and how they want to be captured in photos. In this way, everyone doesn’t looks alike and that’s kind of cool. 

In your photo, 日灼白裙(Sunburnt white skirt) (see above), you seem like a little girl, or someone who is fascinated with childhood. Is nostalgia a big part of your life? 

Perhaps it’s because I’m a university student, that I want to seize every last possible moment as a student. Thinking back to the time when I was a child, I would always wear my mum’s clothing, denim overalls, posing all the time in front of the camera lens. I also often went with my mum to the park to play games. In the summer, I would also swim with my dad. These memories have really lasted with me since then.

Tell me about your creative process when you take photos.

When I take photos, I usually don’t have a specific plan of action. I will usually go to a place I like, wear what I like, and record my life through film. I also don’t photoshop or retouch my photos a lot, if I like them it’s usually enough!

If you could imagine a world of your own, what would this world look like? 

If I could imagine my own world, the sky would be azure blue, there would not be cloud in sight, and we would be able to swim all the time. There would be all types of houses: wooden houses, glass houses, metal houses. There would be a lot of small bushes, with little animals poking out such as rabbits and cats. No one would be sick, and everyone would be kind-hearted. 

But after all is said and done, I still love this world that we live in. There are a lot of things I don’t understand; things that weird and mysterious.

What is the greatest misconception about yourself that you think people don’t understand 

I think its that people think I’m an “enjoyer”, but in fact, I’m a striver *laughs*. I hope I can always do the work I enjoy, keep myself busy etc. Being able to spend time with those I love. To me that is true happiness.

What do you think is the secret to happiness? 

I think that the secret to happiness is to have people who you can share part of yourself openly with. It doesn’t matter where it is, or if its with one or two or a whole group people. As long as you have one person in your heart that you can tell everything and who can help you get through hard times, that is enough to make me feel good. To me this is bliss.

Do you consider yourself courageous for wearing clothes that are so different and naturally attracts people’s attention? 

I don’t know whether wearing what I like, and taking the path I am taking, is courageous or not. But if I have my friends by my side and what I love, nothing anyone can say will no faze me. Doing what you want to do is the most natural thing to do in my opinion. 

People in China are said to dress for status, showing off logos and flashy designs. What do you dress for? 

I dress makes me feel good and comfortable, so that I feel happy walking on the street, so that I can have fun with my friends, so that my feelings are satisfied. This is my philosophy of dressing. 

Where do you buy your fashion masterpieces? 

The places I normally buy my clothes are numerous, normally through shops on the street or browsing on Taobao. I also often to go secondhand stores, where I get so happy to find a 30RMB skirt. I don’t normally look for brands or a certain class of product, they key is to find something that fits!