Love, Bonito x Asian American Girl Club Present the ‘TrailBlazer’ Collaboration

News

March 23, 2025

Love, Bonito and Asian American Girl Club have joined forces to launch the TrailBlazer Collaboration—a tribute to Asian American women breaking barriers, redefining leadership, and inspiring future generations. This campaign celebrates five extraordinary women, each donning a unique limited-edition Love, Bonito x Asian American Girl Club blazer that serves as a true reflection of their confidence, resilience, and identity.

Meet the Trailblazers:

Ally Maki – Actress, Advocate, and Founder of Asian American Girl Club, Ally embodies power and purpose in the RuchedReady® Rachel Blazer—made for the woman who rolls up her sleeves and gets things done

Sherry Cola – Comedian, Actress, and Storyteller, Sherry embodies authenticity in the Alya Boxy Crop Blazer, a reflection of her bold humor and vibrant energy.

Amanda Nguyen – Astronaut and Founder of Rise, Amanda exudes resilience and advocacy in the RuchedReady^®Lapelles Soft Blazer, a symbol of strength and justice.

Michelle Kwan – Olympic Figure Skater and Diplomat, Michelle showcases her grace and determination in the RuchedReady^® Classic Regular Fit Blazer, a nod to her unwavering spirit both on and off the ice.
Paravi – Popstar and Actress, Paravi brings her dreamy vibes and fearless creativity to the RuchedReady^® Aera Slim Blazer—because bold artistry deserves a bold fit.

The Trailblazers (from left to right): Michelle Kwan, Ally Maki, Sherry Cola, Amanda Nguyen, Paravi

A Mission-Driven Collaboration

“At Love, Bonito, we share a common mission with Asian American Girl Club—to champion and uplift Asian American women in spaces where they have long been underrepresented,” said Dione Song, CEO of Love, Bonito. “This Trailblazers collaboration is a tribute to the trailblazers shaping industries, breaking barriers, and inspiring communities worldwide.”

A Pin with Purpose

Every detail in this collection carries a deeper meaning. Each blazer from the collaboration comes with a custom pin set representing a trailblazer’s journey:

The Phoenix – A symbol of resilience and rebirth, reminding women of their power to rise after every challenge.
The Sakura – Representing renewal and growth, celebrating transformation and new beginnings.
The Ginkgo – A timeless emblem of endurance and strength, honoring those who stand firm in adversity.

Now More Than Ever

“Asian American women have always driven powerful change, though our stories have often gone untold,” said Ally Maki, Founder of Asian American Girl Club. “Through Trailblazers, we’re affirming that our impact and leadership across all industries has always been—and will continue to be—undeniable.”

Join the Movement

Discover the TrailBlazer Collection at https://www.lovebonito.com/us/global/trailblazers-aagc

About Love, Bonito:

Love, Bonito is the leading female-founded fashion brand in Southeast Asia, dedicated to empowering women through thoughtful, versatile designs. With a deep understanding of the modern woman’s needs, Love, Bonito creates timeless and functional pieces that blend style with confidence. More than just a fashion brand, Love, Bonito is committed to fostering a strong, supportive community—championing women in every stage of their journey through representation, storytelling, and purpose-driven initiatives.

About Asian American Girl Club:

Asian American Girl Club (AAGC) is a cultural force and community-driven brand dedicated to amplifying the voices and experiences of Asian and Asian American women. Founded by actress Ally Maki, AAGC creates space for connection and representation through fashion, media, and storytelling. With a mission to break stereotypes and celebrate identity, AAGC is more than a brand—it’s a movement empowering the next generation to be seen, heard, and unapologetically themselves.

Credits: Love, Bonito x Asian American Girl Club

Uncategorized

ARTBOUND Features Giant Robot’s Asian-American Pop Culture Influence In Its Latest Episode

Highlighting the impact of the Asian-American pop culture publication Giant Robot, the debut of the latest episode entitled “Giant Robot: Asian Pop Culture and Beyond” was finally aired last October 26 in the acclaimed arts and culture series ARTBOUND on KCET.

The episode showed Giant Robot’s examination of Sawtelle Boulevard as a Japanese-American neighborhood, sparking interest in Asian and Asian-American popular culture which resulted to a long line of Asian American artists who won recognition on a global scale.

Established in 1994, Giant Robot was a bimonthly journal that focused on Asian popular culture that soon included works by Asian-American artists including David Choe and James Jean.

Eric Nakamura began publishing Giant Robot as a digest-sized zine. The piece covered a variety of subjects, including trendy Asian American independent filmmakers, Japanese punk rock, and contemporary Hong Kong films. National media sources including the New York Times, Wired, and LA Weekly published the story.

In 2001, Nakamura opened his first store named “Giant Robot Store” in Sawtelle Japantown and expanded in 2003.

Giant Robot co-founder, Martin Wong edited all 68 issues of the glossy magazine on Asian, Asian-American, and new hybrid culture from 1994 to 2010, when it was still a punk zine. His wife Wendy Lau served as Giant Robot’s graphic designer beginning with issue 18. Even today, Martin continues to publish zines and contribute to them.

The popular weekly television program and online site ARTBOUND captures the essence of California’s expanding arts and cultural scene and investigates how it is transforming the state into the world’s creative capital.

The KCET Original series investigates and clarifies contemporary cultural challenges, offering insightful in-depth study of how the arts and culture impact society.

Nov 8, 2022
2 min read

Uncategorized

Dreams Set No Limits To 50-Year-Old Who Started A Bakeshop Now The Philippines’ Most Famous Brand

“In a way, I was poor. I was hungry, maybe not for food but for self-achievement. I thought there must be something more I can do than just being a housewife. I was very determined to succeed, in whatever came my way,” thus said Julie Gandionco as quoted by the Inquirer, the Philippines’ local newspaper.

In January 1981, then-50-year-old Julia Gandionco opened Julie’s Bakeshop to satisfy her thirst for proving that she is more than a housewife.

Julie’s Bakeshop gloriously celebrates being one of the Philippines’ largest bakery chains with more than 500 branches all over the country, which can be traced back to Mandaue City on the Island of Cebu as its place of origin.

In the 1970s, Julie was a canteen concessionaire at a rattan company, and subsequently became a manager of its sister company. She also opened another canteen a year later.

Having these three canteens being managed, she felt the rising demand for bread which made her take the chance of opening a bakeshop, despite having zero knowledge of baking.

Julie stressed that her bakeshop exists because of “a growing need for bread products and a strong trust in God,” and that she desires to encourage and uplift other mothers to dream big and strive for their goals.

Nov 8, 2022
2 min read

News

Veteran Actor James Hong Lauds Asian-American Representation In Entertainment Industry

During the Critics Choice Association (CCA)’s Inaugural Celebration of Asian Pacific Cinema & Television, veteran actor James Hong received the prestigious Icon award along with a few other awardees.

The veteran actor reflects on his over 700 roles and how Asian representation has changed: “When I was a kid, ‘The Good Earth’ was played by Caucasian leads that taped their eyes up.”

In his speech, Hong commended Asian-American creatives for “carrying through” work to advance their careers in the entertainment world and emphasized that his ultimate goal was to stop hatred and boost the whole level of Asian-Americans.

“To see an organization collect all these people together and work together and stop this hatred for Asians is our main goal, I think, and just boost the whole level of Asian-Americans,” Hong mentioned to the PA News Agency.

Held at Fairmont Century Plaza, CCA’s celebrity-filled event highlighted both new and experienced talents and featured other notable figures from the Asian film industry.

At the age of 93, the veteran vigorously demonstrated a few martial arts movements for the photographers with a smile on his face during the occasion.

In his more than six decades-old career, Hong is a well-accomplished actor with hundreds of film and television credits who co-founded the East West Players in 1965, making him more than deserving to receive the Icon award.

The actor stated that CCA is perhaps one of the pioneering organizations that promote culture.

Nov 8, 2022
2 min read

Stories

TikTok Viral Beauty Brand Youthforia Inspired From Asian Roots And Self-Awareness

We spend most of our waking hours trying to care for ourselves, but there’s only so much time in the day. That’s what the makeup brand Youthforia is for — a line of high-quality beauty products that fit seamlessly into your routine.

Founder Fiona Co Chan accomplished this goal for Youthforia, making it the first East Asian makeup brand to be sold at Ulta Beauty.

While quarantined in Hong Kong, Fiona realized she should launch a cosmetics line. She also recalled a lesson her Vietnamese refugee mother had taught her early on about the importance of paying attention to what goes into one’s body. Although she didn’t have the best track record with makeup, she was able to consider her interest.

Before 2020, she worked in technology and visited several highly polluted Asian cities. She realized that her Western cosmetics reacted poorly to heavy pollution, resulting in skin damage.

This led Chan to work on a gentle formulation and test it out for two months before releasing it to the public on TikTok in 2021. She used the video hosting giant to see if people would be interested in trying out her new makeup creations, such as a liquid blush that adjusts to the skin’s pH. The BYO Blush was a huge success, and Chan’s Youthforia’s TikTok accumulated 40 or 50 million views in its first year.

While the launch of Youthforia on TikTok is undoubtedly cutting-edge, the brand’s core values are founded in the past. This comes directly from Chan’s identity and her upbringing in an Asian San Francisco household where her mother stressed the importance of viewing the body as a whole.

Nov 6, 2022
2 min read