Lynn Ban (Bling Empire: New York)
Lynn Ban (born 27 May 1972) is a Singaporean jewellery designer and fashion influencer based in New York City, USA. Her jewellery brand, which shares her name, boasts a star-studded clientele, including celebrities like Rihanna and Beyoncé.[1][2][3]
Lynn also made her reality show debut with Bling Empire: New York, a spin-off of the successful Netflix series, Bling Empire; the show first aired in January 2023.[2][3]
As of February 2023, Lynn Ban has over 178,000 followers on Instagram.[4]
Background
Family
Lynn Ban was born in 1972 to David and Patricia Ban, who are a property magnate and certified gemologist, respectively. She also has a younger sister.[2][3][5]
The former is a successful businessman who helped to franchise Genki Sushi, the Japanese conveyor-belt sushi chain in Singapore and Hong Kong.[3][5] David Ban also happens to be the Executive Director of Venus Assets, a Malaysian real-estate company that owns the luxurious properties of Four Seasons Place.[3] According to Lynn, her mother was a former secretary and gemologist certified by the Gemological Institute of America.[5] As someone with an eye for style, Patricia had also passed on her love for fashion to her daughter.[5]
“My mother would walk me to and from school and we'd take a short cut though Blooming- dale's.”[5]
As of 2023, Lynn Ban has been married to former MTV producer and reporter, Jett Kain for over 2 decades.[3] Jett currently works with his wife as a business partner, managing press and marketing for Lynn Ban Jewelry.[2] They share a son, Sebastian who is currently enrolled at a boarding school in London.[2]
Early life
As a child, Lynn Ban would travel between and live in various countries, including the US, Hong Kong, and Singapore.[3] She was born in Singapore but due to her father’s job abroad, her family moved to New York City when she was four years old.[2] Later on, they would move to Hong Kong, before settling back in Singapore in 1987.[2]
“He was a banker at the time. When the opportunity to work abroad came up, we all went. It’s a classic immigrant story. He studied in business school while he worked.”[2]
Education
In the past, Lynn pursued art history and literature at Cornell and New York University (Gallatin School of Individualised Studies).[5] For a brief period of 2 years, she also studied art history at the Paris-Sorbonne University.[5]
Prior to that, she began her early education at The Fleming School in New York, before enrolling at the Singapore American School when her family returned to Singapore in 1987.[5]
Financial status
Net worth
According to ZULA SG, Lynn Ban has a net worth of about USD 5 million, which is nearly SGD 7 million.[3]
Personal fashion archive
Lynn Ban is known for her bold and confident fashion choices, and has confirmed that she owns everything that she wears.[6] With a wardrobe that is “100 percent [hers]”, Lynn Ban’s personal collection boasts an impressive ensemble that ranges from vintage couture pieces from Thierry Mugler, Versace, and Dior to more recent pieces from Rick Owens, Balenciaga, and Maison Margiela.[6]
Businesses
Genki Sushi USA (1996 to 2001)
After graduating from university in 1996, Lynn decided to follow in her father’s entrepreneurial footsteps to bring Genki Sushi to the United States.[5] The first branch was set up in Manhattan, before a second one was opened at the World Financial Centre.[5] During this time, Lynn sought advice from her experienced father, but was also able to learn and adapt to a managerial role quickly.
“"Lynn was always determined to do well, whether it was in school or at work. She grew up talking shop with me, so when she showed an entrepreneurial streak, I was more than happy to have her try something different."[5]
However, the September 11 attacks in 2001 caused the business to shut down, and Lynn sold the New York franchise in 2002.[5]
Lynn Ban Vintage (2002 to 2011)
In 2002, Lynn Ban started her vintage fashion business, which stemmed from her love for fashion.[5] As a teenage girl, Lynn’s favourite pastime was to collect vintage fashion, which she found “fun and exciting”.[5]
In 2002, she began to turn this hobby into a viable business venture, after her cousin introduced her to the fashion designer Donna Karan.[5] She worked hard to source vintage lifestyle and fashion items for the designer. Soon, she was able to stock her pieces in luxury department stores like Barneys and Harvey Nichols.[5]
Overtime, her work helped her build up a network of private contacts, while her impressive archives attracted the attention of stylists and designers, who began to borrow pieces for editorial shoots.[5]
However, in 2011, she began focusing her attention on designing jewellery. Thus, her vintage business came to a halt.[5]
Lynn Ban Jewelry (2011 to Present)
Lynn Ban Jewelry is known for its dramatic aesthetic, as well as its A-list clientele. Despite her brand’s unconventional and unique designs, Lynn Ban chose to stay true to her own sense of style.[5] Many of Lynn Bann Jewelry’s pieces retail at four- to five-figure prices.[3]
"In the beginning, the jewellers were a bit taken aback by the hard edge and unconventional designs but over time, they really embraced my aesthetic."[5]
According to an interview with The Straits Times, the production process for each collection can take anywhere between 8 to 10 weeks.[5] During this time, Lynn would come up with her own designs before working with sketch artists who produce the technical drawings to be used for production.
"The years of studying and researching the past cultivated a desire to create something in the present too."[5]
Today, Lynn Ban Jewelry has helped to accessorise a host of celebrities, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, CL, and Billie Eilish.[1] Many of its pieces have also been spotted on the spreads of major international publications like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and ELLE.[1]
Propelled to fashion stardom by Rihanna (2012)
In May 2012, the singer Rihanna took to the American Idol stage wearing a Lynn Ban Jewelry cuff.[5] This proved to be the jewellery line’s big break, and it only continued to receive more requests from celebrity clients.
As Lynn Ban Jewelry’s first celebrity client, Rihanna also continued to endorse the brand for her performances and SAVAGE X FENTY campaigns.[2][5] The pop star has also once called Lynn her “fairy godmother” on an Instagram post.[5]
Business affected by the pandemic (2020-2022)
During the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses across the world experienced slowdowns and crises, and Lynn Ban Jewelry was no exception.[6] As a result, Lynn had to cut down on distribution of her products, including restricting the business to private commissions.[6]
However, she made plans to relaunch it in 2023, with a new resort collection for the Como hotel chain.[6]
Bling Empire (2023)
In January 2023, Lynn Ban made her reality show debut on the Netflix series, Bling Empire: New York.[1][2] She is joined by fellow cast members Dorothy Wang, Tina Leung, Stephen Hung, Deborah Valdez-Hung, Blake Abbie, Richard Chang, Vika Abbyaeva, as well as her husband Jett Kain.[7]
References/citations
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Ban, Lynn. “Lynn Ban”. Lynn Ban. n.d. Accessed 17 February 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Lim, Louisa. “Meet Lynn Ban, stylish and charismatic Singaporean in Netflix series Bling Empire: New York”. The Straits Times. January 19, 2023. Accessed 17 February 2023.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Tan, Jou Teng. “15 Facts About Lynn Ban, The Singaporean Jewellery Designer In Bling Empire: New York”. ZULA SG. February 14, 2023. Accessed 17 February, 2023.
- ↑ lynn_ban. “lynn_ban”. Instagram. n.d. Accessed 17 February 2023.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 Lim, Leslie Kay. “Singaporean Lynn Ban’s edgy jewellery is worn by stars such as Rihanna and Beyonce”. The Straits Times. September 1, 2014. Accessed 17 February 2023.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Socha, Miles. “Lynn Ban Brings Career Angle to ‘Bling Empire’”. WWD. October 12, 2022. Accessed 17 February 2023.
- ↑ Netflix. “Bling Empire: New York”. Netflix SG. n.d. Accessed 17 February 2023.