Writer Malcolm Gladwell coined the term “Connector” to describe people who start social epidemics that lead to the tipping points that change our society. Connectors are those who seem to know hundreds or thousands of people. They have an incredible knack for making friends and acquaintances. Vancouver event planner Alice Zhou is one of them.

Zhou, founder of Gracius Host Events and the on-line Social Butterfly Club, was born in Hefei, China, and moved to Vancouver at the age of 10. She has organized many charitable events, including a body-art competition last month to benefit the British Columbia Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund. She says that as an event planner, there are two fashion extremes: wearing grubby, durable clothes in the preparation stage, and then putting on your finest attire for the big show.

Desert-island accessory
“I would say probably lots of bikinis and something very, very comfortable. I’m starting to wear clothes with cotton and bamboo mix. Earth-friendly labels. I stay away from big-name brands. I don’t like to be a walking billboard for someone.”

Current foot fetish
“I have 40 pairs. Comfortable kitten heels. I just think shoes are quite amazing. They’re a piece of art, highly sexualized.…I am [also] really, really excited that flats are in, extremely excited that flat shoes are in and becoming more fashionable.”

Summer obsession
“Sunbathing at Wreck Beach. Wreck Beach is awesome.”

Favourite jacket
“I love fitted business suits. I think it’s a statement when a woman dresses well. I care about attention to detail, so if I see a nice-cut suit with matching shoes and purses, it’s kind of like ladies from the ’50s. You see a lot of that in Japan. Ladies are extremely well put together: makeup, hair, everything. It’s mind-blowing. They must have woken up three hours before work to put it all together. I don’t know how they have the time. In our line of business, you have to get ready in five minutes. I’ve learned how to put on makeup while driving or while talking on the cellphone. Hopefully, I don’t jam mascara in my eye one day.”

Preference in cocktail dresses
“Tight and [showing] lots of legs. To me, my cocktail dress is my uniform. I think everybody should know their best assets, and show them off. I believe if you have it, flaunt it, because you’re only young once.”

Denim staple
“I think I have five pairs of jeans. Through my university days, that was my uniform. I think dark jeans make people look taller.”

Lingerie philosophy
“I don’t believe in lingerie. I’m a size A, so I don’t really need it. I remember my girlfriend saying, ‘Alice, get a bra. Get a bra.’ I said, ‘Why do I need a bra?’ Finally I went to La Senza. I remember them suggesting that I go to the kids’ section of the Bay to get a training bra. I remember being so offended….I think lingerie is for men. It’s not for women. It’s restrictive. They ride up your ass. Like, who wants it?”