"I didn't want to follow in anyone else's footsteps, I wanted to create my own life. ... As women we hide our true character until we die. If we do not then our men will not stay with us."
Though she attended Tanshui's Oxford College and did a course in tourism, her heart was in painting and she was the pupil of renowned painter O How-nien (
When her father died and her mother and older siblings emigrated to the US, "Fifi" as she was nicknamed, stayed in Taiwan and dressed the windows of a department store. She was then given some money in 1986 to start her own business in Dihua Street.
The fabric market in this area was the heart of Taiwan's rag trade at the time and Wen's progress mirrors that of Taiwan's fashion industry as a whole.
"When I started no-one bought local designs, everything was imported from Hong Kong, Europe and the United States. We knew nothing. This was the first stage. Now we have a lot of knowledge, but little understanding. This is the second stage."
The third step, according to Wen, is the relative maturity of Western fashion markets and successful branding.
"But I tell you, Beijing, Shanghai, these places will be as good as and better than New York and Milan. I guarantee you, in 10 years time, this is where the world will be looking."
Wen is also looking to China. But first, she says, "I want the world to know that Taiwan has great design."
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