Cover Mirror’s Keung To talks to Tatler about starting his own fashion brand and what makes him happy (Photo: Tim Ku / Tatler Hong Kong)

Away from the craziness of the entertainment industry, Keung To of Hong Kong boyband Mirror is all about the simple life, a concept he embraced when establishing his own clothing brand, To Zero, which represents ‘returning to simplicity’

Hong Kong boyband Mirror’s Keung To is marching to his own beat and into the fashion world with his new brand, To Zero, which will be launching this Sunday (April 30) to coincide with his 24th birthday.

“It’s so cool to be able to have people who like you wear clothing that represents your attitude," he tells us earlier this week when he invited Tatler to the Upper House for a chat and preview of his first collection. He also shared with us that To Zero symbolises a “return to simplicity”, his views on music and life, and the insights he gathered along the way since becoming famous.

How would you describe your personal style?
My everyday clothing is mostly very simple and low-key.

I often have to dress up on stage, and wear a lot of bold outfits and accessories. So when I don’t have to work, I prefer to wear comfortable clothes. And my most-worn combination would probably be a suit jacket or a hoodie. I love hoodies because they are simple and always look good, and I can just pull up the hood and go out without having to style my hair. As for the suit jacket, I love how easy it is to pair with a plain t-shirt, it helps me get out the door so quickly.

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How do you “return to zero” in your daily life, and how do you keep yourself happy?
I enjoy eating, I’m so happy when I get to taste delicious food. Whenever I finish a concert or accomplish something important, I like to go have hot pot, especially with my family. The atmosphere is always happy and enjoyable.

My daily life is pretty simple and revolves mainly around performing, playing basketball and eating. It may seem monotonous, but they really are the sources of my happiness. Everyone has a different definition of happiness—for me, doing what I love is enough.

What motivated you to create To Zero, and what message are you trying to convey?
I had the idea to start my own brand after two years in the entertainment industry. I saw my peers creating their own fashion brands, which I thought was cool. It’s also cool to be able to have people who like you wear clothing that represents your attitude.

As I gained more experience in the industry, I had more motivation to try it myself. The concept behind To Zero is “returning to zero”, to approach life minimally. In society, it seems like everyone wants a lot of things, but we don’t actually need that much. By letting go of things, we can find happiness that lasts. Because simplicity is happiness.

Your brand mentions “99 things that must be achieved in life”. What is something you really want to achieve but have not done yet, and how are you working towards that goal?
One of the 99 things that must be achieved in life is to hold my own concert, which I have not yet been able to do. Holding my own concert was a goal I had when I first entered the industry, and the main reason I haven’t done it yet is because I want my music to be recognised by more people.

I still have a lot of room for improvement, such as being able to handle an entire concert on my own. Also, the timing may not be right yet, and I don't have a specific plan for when to achieve this goal. It could happen when the moment feels right. The important thing is to take it step by step, focus on perfecting each song before moving on to the next step. Additionally, there are still many music genres I have not tried yet, and I hope to continue to improve musically, and explore different styles in the future.

You shot to fame in a very short time, and must have encountered many voices and opinions. Looking back, what have you learnt from your career thus far?
Since my debut, I have received both praise and criticism. I think I can’t complain too much. Being in the spotlight means being prepared to accept both positive and negative feedback. Of course, it’s not pleasant to hear criticisms, but I need to learn to listen to it with a positive mindset. I can’t choose to avoid criticism because it is an inevitable part of this industry. Instead, I need to accept it, reevaluate myself, and use the feedback to improve.

At the same time, I need to find a balance and not get too caught up in success or failure. This is a mindset I need to continue to learn in this industry. The most important thing I have learnt since my debut is to constantly re-examine myself with a very objective mindset. I can’t become complacent or arrogant, and this is a belief I always need to hold on to.

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Photo 1 of 3 Keung To in Japan for his To Zero campaign (Photo: courtesy of To Zero)
Photo 2 of 3 Keung To in Japan for his To Zero campaign (Photo: courtesy of To Zero)
Photo 3 of 3 Keung To in Japan for his To Zero campaign (Photo: courtesy of To Zero)

Would you serve as the designer for To Zero, and what are you trying to say with its style?
I spent six months preparing to launch To Zero, during which I participated in designing each item and contributed many design concepts for the collection. I hope people will pay attention not only to the design and cutting, but also to the design concept and message behind the line.

For example, the message about the “99 things that must be achieved in life” [and the need to have goals]. The message represented by each garment is more important than the style and cutting of the garment itself.

What is an essential item in your wardrobe?
I often wear a fisherman’s hat because I don't have to style my hair and can just cover it with the hat, and they have also made a huge comeback and are quite popular now. They also come in so many different designs and styles. Also, I think my head is relatively large, so wearing a fisherman’s hat can disguise that.

In terms of colour, I prefer darker shades with my hats, which look more low-key. A fisherman’s hat also has one other very important function: to help me stay unrecognised when I go out.

What type of shoes do you like to wear the most? What is the most important pair of shoes for you?
My favourite shoes are definitely basketball shoes. I had zero knowledge of fashion before I entered the industry, and was only aware of different styles of basketball shoes and which basketball stars wore which ones. When I was a child, I spent most of my money on basketball shoes and equipment, and I have a big collection of basketball shoes at home.

As for the most important pair of shoes—before I debuted, my mother bought me a pair of yellow leather boots when she found out I was going to participate in a competition show on TV. She told me there was no reason to wear basketball shoes for the competition. I remember those were relatively expensive shoes, and I wore them every time I appeared on TV. They are still stored at home and are very important to me because they are full of memories.

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