New York-based designer Phillip Lim is the Instagram star you need to follow now. Following a strict self-quarantine life, he’s turned to Instagram Stories to entertain himself and share his thoughts on xenophobia, the fashion industry, and cooking hacks.

Lim is the co-founder and creative director of 3.1 Phillip Lim, a contemporary designer brand with stores across the United States and carried on online luxury destinations Farfetch and Net-A-Porter. In 2018, the brand announced a two-year collaboration with sportswear giant Fila.

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In 2019, Lim came out with ‘More Than Our Bellies,’ featuring photos by Vidal Sassen. It’s an earnest personal diary that pays tribute to Lim’s Thai and Chinese roots and how dishes always draw taste not just from their ingredients but also the memories sauteed in them.

The book is currently sold out online.

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If you tune into Lim’s Instagram Stories, you’ll get a step-by-step process of a lot of the recipes in the book along with some creations he’s whipped up on the spot. If you’re a fan of Asian cuisine, you’re going to love how he talks about the beauty of cooking with a wok and other tips.

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Lim’s content also extends to Instagram Live conversations with fellow creatives. He shares here their expert advice from their respective feeds. One time, he went live with fellow designer Prabal Gurung.

Awkward pauses are bound to happen. But it makes the candid feel more genuine. In terms of parasocial relationships, this is one that is worth keeping by turning on your notifications.

Follow Phillip Lim on @therealphilliplim and @31philliplim.

Photo courtesy of Phillip Lim on Instagram