She’s got a new lens on life. Lauren Chan is a model, designer, and fierce size-inclusive fashion advocate. But just like the rest of us, this last year and a half brought a lot of change her way. Flash forward to today, and she’s seeing everything through new eyes, from her style to that fickle thing we call “work-life balance.” (And luckily for her, thanks to Vogue Eyewear’s collab with Millie Bobby Brown, those “new eyes” are a sleek, lavender-lensed pair of aviators.)

We chatted with the multi-hyphenate about how her fashion sense has evolved, model-tested tips for taking a perfect pic in your sunnies, and why career isn't everything.

How has your personal style shifted in the past year?
Oh my gosh, in all the ways! I have a clothing brand that was largely making suiting and outerwear, and I was making those categories because I had a huge passion for them. I felt most like myself in them, and whether I was working with my hands to make and develop them, or I was wearing them, I was so fulfilled! When the world shut down, I didn’t know what to do with myself. It became all about loungewear, and I have to admit, I own next to no loungewear items! I live in New York City; I had a very fast-paced life and multiple jobs. On a regular week, I would work 60 hours. I would leave the house at 7 or 8 in the morning, go to work, have meetings afterward, go to an industry dinner, and I’d be home at 11 P.M.

So what would you wear when you got home?
I would throw on an old graphic tee and my high school basketball shorts—which yes, I still own! Over the past year, I’ve challenged myself to build a closet of loungewear that I really love… And I think fashion as a whole has become more optimistic. We’re seeing brighter colors and more colors in 1 outfit. That makes me feel like I’m having a lot of fun with what I wear, in a much “bigger” and bolder way than before. And of course, eyewear is a big part of that.

On Lauren: MBB x Collection Aviators in silver/lilac

How has your taste in eyewear changed this year?
I’ve been wearing really interestingly shaped glasses! I’m more into colored lenses and frames. I bought myself a new pair of eyeglasses that are cooler than what I had. You know, on Zoom, it’s from the waist up, if that! So glasses make a huge impression on the screen.

As a model and former fashion editor, please give us some advice on how to wear glasses in photos and videos.
Ohhh, this is a great question, because nobody teaches you how to do this as a model! You have to figure it out on your own. First of all, I always keep a good pair of sunglasses on hand for a selfie because I don’t have to do any eye makeup. That’s great… Now, I will say that I always remind myself of this tip: When my photo’s being taken, I push the glasses—the frame—down on my nose about halfway lower than I would naturally wear it. It’s not covering my eyebrows, even if it would in real life… Honestly, I love my brows. I know a lot of people do, so I just selfishly don’t want to cover them! And [eyewear] just looks better in a photo sitting lower than is comfortable, which I would not know if I didn’t model.

What have you changed your point of view on lately?
Oh, wow. A lot. I don’t know much that I haven’t changed my point of view on! I have shifted away from being achievement-oriented, and I’m trying to be wellness-oriented. I still can’t believe I’m saying this—the “me” of 2 years ago would have slapped me upside the head if she heard me—but I’ve learned that work isn’t everything. And I’ve learned that in fact, the world can stop, and your time and money and talent won’t matter, so if you sacrifice your health, it’s futile. At the end of the day, all we have is our wellness and our space and our happiness in our relationships, and that should be paramount. And if work comes second to that, I’m okay with it now. I certainly wasn’t before. That’s been my biggest shift.*

*This is a sponsored post.