Liyia Wu, a Parsons alumni, is the founder/CEO of Shopshops. After graduating from Sauder’s Business School of University of British Columbia with finance and accounting double majors, she worked in media and advertising in Beijing. In 2005, she fast-tracked Parsons fashion merchandising program to pursue her career in fashion. She worked as head merchandiser for the New York based fashion brand, Twinkle by Wenlan, for three years. In 2008, she founded Beijing’s first U.S designer boutique, introducing brands including Helmut Lang, Tory Burch, Loeffler Randall, Melissa, Koolaburra, Noir, CC Skye, and many others to Chinese consumers. In Fall 2009, Wu launched her contemporary designer label, WO Squared, based in Beijing, China, where she designed the collection, oversaw four retail stores in Beijing and sold to 10 retailers across China, including Galeries Lafayette in Beijing, with peak annual sales of 7million RMB in 2012. In 2015, Wu combined her extensive experience in the U.S. and China in wholesale and retail to pursue her vision for the international app, Shopshops.