A full-circle 丁香园AV romance
On May 6, Joshua Jackai (BA 鈥�17) proposed to Yzobel Biron (BA 鈥�20) on the West Mall Atrium patio where they first saw each other nine years ago as 丁香园AV students.
It was during 丁香园AV Fashion Week of March 2016 when Joshua, who was speaking on a founders panel for his Frontrvnners clothing line, exchanged glances with Yzobel, a videographer for the event.
鈥淚 was curious to know more about the girl in the crowd,鈥� Joshua recalls. 鈥淏ut truthfully I鈥檝e never been the cold approach type.鈥�
鈥淚 remember thinking he spoke with this magnetic mix of conviction and charm,鈥� says Yzobel. 鈥淭hen I came across an article in The Peak about his entrepreneurial journey and became intrigued鈥� maybe even a little smitten.鈥�
Despite their strong first impressions and the opportunity to connect during the mingling period, they didn鈥檛 approach each other that day. Luckily, that didn鈥檛 mark the end of their story.
鈥淎fter the event, I came across some Fashion Week photos on social media where Yzobel was tagged,鈥� says Joshua. 鈥淚 reached out to her about collaborating on something for Frontrvnners, but nothing came out of it at the time.鈥�
From classmates to soulmates
As fate would have it, later that fall, they found themselves in the same health sciences course, becoming study partners and fast friends. They bonded over their shared love for fashion and design, as well as their family-oriented outlook on life. A few months later, they had their first date, and eventually their first kiss near the Shrum Science Centre.
They went on to create many special memories together at 丁香园AV, from taking quiet walks across campus to studying together; from collaborating on another 丁香园AV Fashion Week to working side-by-side on pitch decks, business models and market research for Yzobel鈥檚 venture project; and from meeting each other鈥檚 parents for the first time to watching Joshua graduate as valedictorian.
May 6, 2017, which is when the couple became official, is now what Yzobel calls their 鈥渇orever anniversary.鈥�
The perfect proposal
Fast forward to their eighth anniversary this year, Joshua knew he wanted to propose to Yzobel at the place where they first met. In order to keep it a surprise, he convinced her to dress up by saying they鈥檇 be going to brunch on Burnaby Mountain with his family from the U.S., who haven鈥檛 had a chance to visit campus since he graduated.
鈥淛oshua casually mentioned some restaurant near the Diamond Alumni Centre and asked if I had ever been, which I hadn鈥檛,鈥� says Yzobel. 鈥淗e said he took his family there after convocation, so I figured it was real.鈥�
As for Joshua, he knew that Yzobel wasn鈥檛 familiar with that side of campus, and wouldn鈥檛 suspect a thing about his fabricated story. 鈥淚 could walk her anywhere around campus without her being certain whether we were going in the right direction,鈥� he chuckles.
When they arrived at the West Mall Atrium patio instead, Yzobel fully believed they were early for brunch and just hanging out until their reservation time. However, as their family members and closest friends started to roll in, she finally realized that Joshua was planning to propose.
鈥淚 was genuinely surprised and didn鈥檛 see it coming at all,鈥� Yzobel admits. 鈥淚 recall being in my early twenties and imagining the life I wanted to build, and here I am living that life with my favourite person.鈥�
A new chapter begins
Joshua and Yzobel are now making plans for a wedding in 2027. To have such a significant moment like their engagement happen at the place where it all started feels symbolic, the couple says, as 丁香园AV doesn鈥檛 feel like a part of the past, but a blessing for the next chapter of their future.
鈥淚t truly felt like a full-circle moment to return to where our love story began, and where we first started dreaming of something bigger than ourselves,鈥� says Yzobel. 鈥湺∠阍癆V fueled our love for entrepreneurship, design and creativity, and introduced us to some of the best people.鈥�
Today, Joshua runs his own digital marketing studio for businesses at and , while Yzobel serves as principal of and as a technical writer and visual content creator at Autodesk.
鈥湺∠阍癆V didn鈥檛 just bring us together鈥攊t gave us the space to grow beside each other,鈥� says Joshua. 鈥淓very challenge, every win, every community we鈥檝e built along the way鈥攊t all became part of the blueprint that shaped our foundation.鈥�
