Yun Boutique and Keenobby: A Chance Encounter And Sparkles of Fate

Ancient Chinese people believe that our lives are governed by powerful predestined ties. The first time I met Mylène Chambru Dubois, the founder of Keenobby, in a coffee shop in Brooklyn, I knew that amazing things were about to happen.

Mylene feels exactly like a fresh spring rose from Paris. As an inspiring entrepreneur herself, she has been treasure-hunting for inspiring and special people in New York for years, because she is committed to showing New Yorkers a wonderful time — learning while having fun — through Keenobby. In her interview with every expertainer at Keenobby, she is not just looking for what you do, she is looking for how you do it, and why.

I’m the founder of Yun Boutique, a jewelry company in New York City. Our designs are inspired by divine Chinese culture, and reflect my own fascination with traditional Chinese values and beliefs. Every piece of jewelry carries beautiful messages from divine Chinese culture. My hope is that they’ll help you, the wearer, become the person you aspire to be. That, at least, is the inspiration behind this brand that I have gained from my own personal cultivation in Falun Dafa, an ancient Chinese meditation practice: life is a journey of spiritual self-cultivation, of becoming our best, original selves.

Unfortunately, Falun Dafa has been persecuted in mainland China for nearly two decades. As a Chinese myself, I had no idea about that, because of media censorship — until I came to New York. I was an exchange scholar at NYU’s Stern Business School in 2010, and after learning that innocent practitioners have been sent to labor camps, tortured to give up their beliefs, or even killed so their organs could be sold for profit, I couldn’t remain silent. And yet, I was hardly able to even have a normal conversation with my own Chinese friends and classmates, to tell them what I’d learnt. Years of propaganda had so demonized this innocent practice, and some Chinese were indifferent — or hateful, or fearful — to the persecution.

And that’s why I started my jewelry business. I believe that great art is a heritage that has the power to bring transcendent values and things of eternal beauty into our lives. I want to build a jewelry business that truly embodies this, to share with the world the peace and power I’ve found in my own journey, and the courage and dignity I have found in others along the way. Art inspired by the divine is able to dissolve ignorance and hate, and elevates us all.

When I shared the story of my brand with Mylene, I saw that she also sincerely cherished the values and ideals I hold dear. I knew right then that Keenobby was the perfect platform for me to share my brand and work with the world, because Mylene truly understands and cherishes artists. Just like Mylene, I was also doing my own interview: I chose Mylene and Keenobby not just for what she does, but for how and why she does it.

Edited by Matthew Robertson