In November, Mark Fast opened his first standalone store in Beijing, the first of many he’s planning to launch over the next 12 months as he expands his retail footprint in East Asia with the help of a new business partner in the region. At a time of rapid growth for the Canadian-born designer’s 12-year-old brand, there’s only one downside: He hasn’t yet been able to visit the store due to the ongoing travel restrictions. “It seems very surreal to see it all growing when I’m not there, and I really miss going to China, but it’s all very exciting,” Fast says.