Wear Wok With Yan

A special collaboration honouring Stephen Yan, the legendary host of “Wok with Yan,” who brought Chinese cooking into Canadian homes for over 15 years, has us feeling stylishly nostalgic. Retrokid has created a limited edition officially licensed collection featuring nostalgic apparel and accessories that capture Yan’s unique humour and lasting influence on Canadian cuisine. Yan’s show not only introduced audiences to the art of Chinese cooking, but also made it fun with his humour and catchy phrases like “wok and roll”. Yan’s cheeky quotes come to life with phrases like “Wok on By,” “Wok on the Wild Side,” “It’s Woks Inside That Counts,” and more. Not only did Retrokid work with local Canadian artists, this collection is printed and finished in Toronto. We chatted with Steve Gaskin, owner and co-founder of Retrokid, to learn more. —Noa Nichol

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the Retrokid x Wok With Yan collaboration?

Wok With Yan was an iconic Canadian childhood memory for many of us.  Stephen Yan was able to make cooking fun and entertaining when there was no Food Network or Hot Wings.  On a personal level, Wok With Yan was the bridge that allowed my Gung Gung and I, that’s grandfather in Chinese, to connect at any level due to his broken English.  Stephen’s charismatic personality, apron puns, and culinary mastery brought all of us a little closer to each other through the use of food and humour.

What was the process like in designing the nostalgic apparel and accessories for this collection?

We were very specific and intentional with every single one of our designs with this collection.  There is a cultural responsibility and a childhood expectation to create, and celebrate, every memory and emotion we had watching Wok With Yan.  We dove deep into our own personal experiences to make sure that we were celebrating all of the different aspects that Stephen Yan taught us ie. our Good Fortune Hoodie is a tribute to the end of the episode when Stephen would sit down with an audience member, share food, and break open a Fortune Cookie.  From a design and inspiration perspective, this is one of our best collections we’ve ever created.

How do you feel Stephen Yan’s influence on Canadian cuisine and entertainment is reflected in this collection?

Stephen Yan is a Canadian legend.  Period.  He was able to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western cultures through his use of food and humor.  We did the same with our collection as there’s a great assortment of pun-inspired designs as well as several restaurant and food focused artwork created exclusively by local Canadian artists.

Why was it important for Retrokid to work with local Canadian artists and manufacture the collection in Toronto?

Canadian brands have to work a little harder than most as the Canadian consumer is very discerning and loyal.  All of our products are printed and finished in Toronto and for this specific collection, our team wanted to give an opportunity to local artists as it’s where Stephen Yan had the most impact.  It’s important that the artists we work with also have a passion and interest in the property we’re working with.

What do you hope consumers will take away from the Retrokid x Wok With Yan collection?

We hope consumers relive their childhood with this collection.  We hope random strangers stop our customers in the street not only asking where they got it from but also, remember the time when Stephen Yan did this?  Our brand is all about being a kid again and letting your inner kid loose.  We could all use a little reminder every now and then.