When Jason Wu arrived in Vancouver from Taiwan, he learned English from fashion magazines. Flash forward over 20 years later and he’s established himself as an unmatched, award-winning designer, responsible for dressing stars from Rachel Weisz to Reese Witherspoon to U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama. The spring issue of Monte Cristo Magazine features Jason on the cover, celebrating his  recent return to Vancouver after 15 years abroad. From the article: “I just thought Vancouver was one of the places where I really developed and blossomed into my designer abilities,” he says. “It’s the place where it all began. It’s funny, because I remember coming to the Bay. Mind you, it was quite different 15 years ago. It’s got a luxe new spin, now. But it was in Vancouver that my mom bought me my first sewing machine, and that was really when I first started sewing.” Another example of a Vancouverite who’s truly “outstanding in his field.”  See more of Jason Wu’s work here.