Deborah Lau-Yu is a tour de force. A 3 ambassador, her cultural influence extends around the globe, spanning multiple initiatives and organizations while maintaining focus on how we connect, communicate and gather. 

As the founder of Fête Chinoise, a media platform and annual event celebrating Chinese culture in the global community, Lau-Yu has expanded the international profile of meaningful holidays and festivities like Lunar New Year. 

It’s a spirit of reverie she brings to life via Palettera, the creative studio she cofounded in 2010 that specializes in design, marketing and branding, publishing Fête Chinoise Magazine and hosting the annual Fête Chinoise Signature Event at Lunar New Year. Over the years, Palettera has created branding and keepsakes for countless unforgettable events and VIP experiences hosted by the likes of the Shangri-La Hotel, HSBC Canada and Holt Renfrew.

In 2017, Lau-Yu expanded on that love of storytelling with Ferris Wheel Press Stationery, a collection of fountain pens, inks and paper that elevates the treasured ritual of putting pen to paper while preserving the delicate art of penmanship — and encouraging communication. 

Here, she tells 3 about her most prized talisman: a sewing tin that holds sentimental memories – and inspires the future. 

“I shared a room with my late grandmother for 20 years. She was my best friend. When she eventually passed away, I became the guardian of all the objects she left behind, including this sewing tin. It inspired me to launch an annual charity campaign celebrating the functional—and symbolic—role cookie and mooncake tins play in Chinese culture. I keep the original on a wooden shelf in my studio office. It’s in great company with other family collectibles and special items that have sentimental value.”