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hough it was her first time in Asia, Vivienne Rohner had little time to play the tourist. The Swiss model and new Chanel muse headed straight to work the morning after she arrived in Hong Kong. The 12-hour photo shoot, which took place on a set riddled with conversations in three different languages, was one of the highlights of her trip. On a custom-made set teeming with the romance of old Hong Kong films, the alluring Vivienne transforms into a timeless leading lady under the lens of the equally young and talented Chinese photographer, Leslie Zhang.

This is your first time in Hong Kong, how do you feel about the city?

It is my very first time in Asia. The only little taste that I’ve had [of Asia] is Chinatown in New York, where I live. Although I basically arrived yesterday, I already know that I love Hong Kong. This morning I went on a little sightseeing trip, and I’m very grateful that Hong Kong was my very first trip to Asia. I’m just amazed by how friendly and hospitable people are; it reminds me of my home country, Switzerland. Unfortunately, my trip is very short so I am definitely going to come back — maybe with my boyfriend. We’ll go into all the shops I drove past this morning; I saw so many places I wanted to take pictures of or walk into and look around! I saw a shop that sells vintage glasses — which I’m a big fan of.

What was it like working with Leslie Zhang for the first time?

I told Leslie, “I wish we could shoot together every day!” He directed me calmly but never told me exactly what to do. We understood each other without needing to say much. He was so sure of himself and was constantly trying new things. He’s not a man of many words, yet he was able to foster an environment where everyone was working towards the same goal. The set designers, too, bravo to them. It was such a treat working with him yesterday; it was a total dedication to art, and you don’t really see that anymore.

You have worked with many renowned photographers, Inez & Vinoodh, David Sims, and so on. How do you strike a balance between your own artistic expression and the photographer’s vision?

It’s all about communication. The first thing I do with every single shoot, even if I’ve already received a mood board, is to sit down with the photographer and get a sense of how much I can contribute. If people are unsure about the direction, I try to bring forward my own ideas. Generally, communication is key in life. It is teamwork at the end of the day, and we all need to work towards the same goal. Even though I started modelling when I was 16, I feel like my career really began when I met Inez & Vinoodh. When Virginie took over Chanel, they started working together, and Inez introduced me. Inez & Vinoodh are my neighbours in New York, and we continue to shoot together — they are like family to me.

How do you keep yourself grounded in such a fast-paced industry?

Something was telling me I had to leave Switzerland because I wanted something greater, but not necessarily modelling— that was never really my dream. It just happened and I eventually fell in love with it. But that is just one part of my life. My number one priority in life will always be my family, my friends, and myself. Only when you’re happy and content with yourself can you give love to others. I also just bought a car. That was my biggest dream since I was 16— to own an American muscle car— and this year, it came true! I wanted to do more things for myself, and the car was something I worked hard for. It’s also just about having quality time. Spending time with my boyfriend, who travels a lot, driving and walking around the city. I walk my dog two hours a day, maybe more. It’s the little things. Or just doing nothing, too, having no schedule and no obligations. I’m a very simple, uncomplicated person.