A Day with Lisa Kim

Written By A Keys

For this Journal I want to introduce my dear friend Lisa Kim who I met in New York in my early twenties. Lisa is one of the most creative people I have ever met and I have always appreciated her attention to detail, curiosity, intelligence and amazing style. I knew whatever Lisa decided to do when she struck out on her own it would be special and thoughtful and when she started her own practice and line after studying herbal medicine it all made sense.

Visit Lisa in Brooklyn at her store Shop Collective and on Instagram. This fall, select Lisa Kim products coming soon to Avion, I am obsessed! Read the interview below.

Lisa, we have known each other 20 years now tell me how you came to studying herbal medicine and starting your practice and line.

I think when you turn 40,  like with any decade birthday, you start to question if you are doing what you want to do and is this it for the rest of your life. I had worked in advertising as a strategist, opened a wine bar, managed a restaurant and a hotel. Thanks to a dear friend, I searched and asked myself what made me feel most me. I knew I felt reset every time I put my hands in soil, nurturing seeds to plants, and still wanted to be in service to help others. I mean that’s why we are all here living this life together. I wanted to help people feel good, physically & mentally, whatever way I could. I always carried my mom’s approach to health growing up, and from early on, watched her weaving in East Asian herbal medicine which is based on thousands of years of tradition. I nearly went to medical school out of college (western medicine wasn’t for me). So after a wide berth, I kind of came full circle with herbal medicine. The teachers in my program were the most inspiring, down-to-earth, kind-hearted and reinforced my path.

When you think about overall health, what do you feel are the elements lacking in modern life or what people can improve quickly?

In modern western medicine, I feel there’s a lack of addressing prevention. Even medical schools here are designed to work with acute issues, not prevention. Most people wait until something’s wrong and then need a quick fix which is where pharmaceuticals come in. I’m not against this, because there are times when more drastic intervention is necessary. I want to find ways of support through plants before an issue gets serious.
Diet and nutrition is important and largely the reason people suffer. Usually I find addressing gut health leads to building the body and mind back. And once that levels out, it is amazing how that affects the whole mind-body balance, internally and externally.

When I think about you Lisa, your incredible style and elegance is what comes to mind. What do you look for in design, what is your style and what catches your eye?

I look for the purity in the design. Less is more, across the board. I love the energy of something handmade.
I love AVION and that you are in each piece so clearly. There is the simple level of quality in the fabric choices you make, along with the true craftsmanship of each detail, like the topstitching someone did by hand. Each piece is so special!

What are your working on now, or what is coming next in your line?

I’m always learning and growing, taking in the infinite knowledge from plants. I make everything by hand so things take time. But I’m currently working on a series for perimenopause/menopause, including teas. I’ll also have a hair oil available for stronger hair and scalp. I really enjoy my one-on-one consultations, and making custom formulas based on the individual. We are all so different so it’s not one size fits all.

A Keys
Next

A Day with Karen Alexander