Hong Kong 30 Under 30 2016

Co-founders, She Collective HK

Olive Lee and Rosann Ling go way back. The two met at primary school in Hong Kong, and in 2016, they launched She Collective HK, an activewear label that encourages women to find balance through health and wellness.

It all started with a phone call from Ling while she was shopping for activewear in London, where she was based, before moving back to Hong Kong. Ling asked Lee if she had heard of the boutique brands in the UK capital, and it was then that they realized there was an opportunity to bring the brands to the SAR.

Ling has a background in interior design and brand strategy, while Lee worked in private equity and accounting. “It just seemed to make perfect sense to start something together, and for the fact that we know each other inside out,” Lee says.

Setting out on what they wanted to do beyond being an activewear distributor, Lee and Ling decided that they wanted to incorporate boundary-pushing in life and career choices for women into the concept — an attitude that is “not well-received in Asia.”

Aside from the brand ethos, the two also wanted to promote girl power. “We also wanted to remind women that as a collective, incredible things can be achieved together.”

She Collective HK is available at an online retail store, and it is gaining traction. “What has been even more rewarding for us is the overwhelming positive feedback received regarding our mission to build a community for women to support one another,” Lee says.