48 DISCOVERY SEPTEMBER 2008 International designers are playing a big part in making Ho Chi Minh City Southeast Asia’s next big thing 一眾國際設計師雲集胡志明市,促使當地冒起成為東南亞潮流熱點 D e s i g n c e n t r a l 越趨時尚 by SAMANTHA COOMBER photos by PETER STUCKINGS I N JUST a few years, shopping in Ho Chi Minh City has gone from predominately mass-produced, cheap and cheerful goods to cutting-edge quality designs. This is largely thanks to pioneering international designers who not only create, design and retail in Vietnam’s shopping and design capital, but also make it their home. They come inspired by exceptional Vietnamese tradesmanship and centuries-old craft industries such as lacquer, silk and embroidery. With an abundance of locally sourced materials, creative freedom and a booming economy, these designers have created a successful fusion of tradi- tional indigenous craftwork and styles with high- quality standards, contemporary international designs and environment-friendly practices. As a result, uniquely Vietnamese products exuding originality and flair are the hallmarks of the city’s new breed of stylish individual stores aimed at visitors and locals alike. Dragon Smile’s bamboo vases are a testament to local craftmanship Dragon Smile的 竹製花瓶是當地 巧手工藝的體現 DISCOVER Vietnam 發現越南 Ipa-Nima is a handbag nirvana set amid the bustle of Ho Chi Minh City’s traffic 位於胡志明市繁囂大街上的 Ipa-Nima是手袋集中地
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
48 d i scov e ry S E p t E m b E r 2 0 0 8
International designers are playing a big part in making Ho Chi Minh City Southeast Asia’s next big thing
一眾國際設計師雲集胡志明市,促使當地冒起成為東南亞潮流熱點
Design central越趨時尚
by Samantha Coomberphotos by Peter StuCkingS
I n just a few years, shopping in Ho Chi Minh City has gone from predominately mass-produced, cheap and cheerful goods to cutting-edge quality designs. This is largely thanks to pioneering
international designers who not only create, design and retail in Vietnam’s shopping and design capital, but also make it their home. They come inspired by exceptional Vietnamese tradesmanship and centuries-old craft industries such as lacquer, silk and embroidery.
With an abundance of locally sourced materials, creative freedom and a booming economy, these designers have created a successful fusion of tradi-tional indigenous craftwork and styles with high-quality standards, contemporary international designs and environment-friendly practices. As a result, uniquely Vietnamese products exuding originality and flair are the hallmarks of the city’s new breed of stylish individual stores aimed at visitors and locals alike.
Dragon Smile’s bamboo vases are a testament to local craftmanship
Dragon Smile的竹製花瓶是當地巧手工藝的體現
DiSCover Vietnam 發現�越南
ipa-nima is a handbag nirvana set amid the bustle of
ho Chi minh City’s traffic 位於胡志明市繁囂大街上的
ipa-nima是手袋集中地
S E p t E m b E r 2 0 0 8 d i scov e ry 49
homeWare
Dragon SmiLeLacquer is one of Vietnam’s oldest and celebrated crafts, but it is companies such as European family-led Dragon Smile which have cleverly transported it into the 21st century. Operating out of Ho Chi Minh City for more than a decade, Dragon Smile’s team of international and Vietnamese designers work closely with local artisans – respecting their lacquer expertise – to produce quality products all polished to a flawless, sleek finish.
Dragon Smile pays homage to traditionally-
influenced lacquer styles, such as gold and silver leaf inserted into translucent layers. However, it is the striking contemporary designs which stand out. Many of the lacquer furniture pieces and homewares – including bowls, trays and tealight holders – are funky and innovative with abstract shapes in unconventional matte tones, incorpo-rating bold colours such as tomato red. Slivers of bamboo, a beloved Vietnamese icon, create a pop-art effect on giant floor vases.
Its downtown flagship store will be a hit with visitors seeking a refined Vietnamese souvenir. 74/5 hai ba trung, District one, +84 8 823 1788www.dragon-smile.com
gaya This is a creative partnership between several international designers who are residents of Ho Chi Minh City and other parts of South-east Asia. Spotting a gap in the market, they created Vietnam’s first international designer show-room. With its multi-level, open-plan interiors and high-quality designs, Gaya was a pioneering retail concept in the city when it opened in 2003.
Gaya serves as a retail outlet and showroom for the export creations of designers and offers unique fashions, accessories, furniture, homewares and gifts for the design-conscious shopper, created with international standards of design, manufac-turing practices and finishes. Most of Gaya’s prod-ucts are hand-crafted in Vietnam. Gaya opens a second shop on Corner Le Lai Street this month. 39 ton that thiep, District one, +84 8 914 3769; 1 nguyen van trang Street, Corner Le Lai Street, District one, +84 8 914 3769 www.gayavietnam.com
gaya’s showroom was a pioneering concept when it opened (above)
gaya陳列室的前衛概念於開幕時是前所未見的(上圖)
michele de albert tea set at gaya (right)
gaya售賣的michele de albert茶具(右圖)
old meets new at Dragon Smile
Dragon Smile 擅於中西合璧
CuLture Smart! vietnam2007 Customs and etiquette
Let’S go vietnam2007 travel on a budget
LoneLy PLanet vietnam2007 Packed with information
inSight guiDeS vietnam2008 Fantastic photos
grab a guiDe – hit the ground running with one of these vietnam travel books
embroidered army jackets at mai’s
mai's售賣加上了刺繡的軍人外套
50 d i scov e ry S E p t E m b E r 2 0 0 8
mantraThree innovative international designers residing in Ho Chi Minh City and bonded by common ideals created Mantra. The combination of the stark minimalist showroom, hands-on designer approach and “wow factor” designs offer shoppers an exciting retail concept.
British-Indian Anupa Horvil, Indian Vivek Chaudhary and Australian Kevin Lane bring their own individual flair and diverse backgrounds, yet comple-ment each other in Mantra’s creative output. Refusing to follow trends, they design quality products that are environmentally friendly and sustainable, incorpo-rating elements of Vaastu Sastra, the ancient Indian science of architecture, to create a harmonious living environment with practical considerations.
FaShion
mai’S One of the original Vietnamese “boat people”, Mai Lam returned two decades later from Australia in 1996 to her native city, where she has become one of Vietnam’s hottest and most innovative designers. Mai’s exquisite fashions, jewellery and accessories plus an evolving range of lifestyle items are show-cased in her stylish, eponymous flagship store.
Located inside the Hotel Continental, Mai’s mixes a Harley-Davidson motorbike, framed antique Man-darin robes and lacquer artworks. Mai’s trademark classic yet funky urban designs are handmade locally using traditional production methods and feature rich, natural fabrics and a distinctive “distressed” look as well as intricate, multi-dimensional embroidery.
The store’s décor and designs are tinged with personal historical references, Vietnamese culture and a mix of old and contemporary.g/F, hotel Continental, 132-134 Dong khoi Street, District one, +84 8 827 2733 www.mailam.com.vn
All designs are hand-crafted in Viet-nam. Inspired by the country’s outstand-ing traditional craftsmanship, Mantra’s designers aim to prove that Vietnamese designs can rival the best elsewhere.
A fusion of traditional and contempo-rary styles and techniques, plus intrigu-ing combinations of materials results in “contemporary antiques” that attract an eclectic mix of shoppers seeking something different. Ever-changing designs feature chic leather bags and
accessories from Horvil and furniture, lighting and interior décor by Chaudhary and Lane – from towering lacquered floor lamps to marble table lights and frames. 84 Pho Duc Chinh, District one, +84 8 915 1473 www.mantravietnam.com
DiSCover Vietnam 發現�越南
Leather passport holder, vietnam style
越式皮革護照套
harmonious homeware at mantra
mantra出售的 家品和諧優雅
S E p t E m b E r 2 0 0 8 d i scov e ry 51
SongMeaning “to live” in Vietnamese, SONG is a lifestyle and fashion concept inspired by nature, blending traditional embroidery with a modern eco-friendly ethos. Founded by French designer and Ho Chi Minh City resident Valerie Gregori McKenzie, SONG captures the essence of tropical life with high-end vacation and resort-inspired clothing, bags and accessories in addition to home furnishings.
SONG’s fabrics are natural, ethically sourced and have a low environmental impact – mainly cotton, linen, hemp and silk. The designers divide their time between Paris and Ho Chi Minh City and production takes place in workshops and a pioneering “green” factory in Vietnam.
McKenzie is a strong advocate of preserving Vietnamese embroidery and most SONG items are hand-stitched by skilled artisans. The flag-ship Ho Chi Minh City store sells signature crisp linen kaftans, soft cotton yoga attire, silk bed quilts and brocade boudoir cushions, attracting the well-heeled sensitive to SONG’s handmade workmanship, green practices and style. SONG’s creations are sold at dedicated
domestic stores and are available overseas in more than 30 countries.
76D Le thanh ton, District one, +84 8 824 6986
www.Song-life.com
iPa-nimaHandbag nirvana Ipa-Nima retails a range of multi-sized flamboyant, funky, coquettish and vintage handbags in bold, vibrant colours – all exuding atti-tude. The uber-glamorous, highly original Ipa-Nima is the creation of Hong Kong designer Christina Yu, who established her high-end accessories label and flagship store in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi.
Utilising the superb craftsmanship of Vietnam-ese artisans, the wonderfully extravagant bags are crafted to international standards in local workshops around Hanoi and feature complex blends of textures and fabrics plus heavy embellishment techniques by hand, such as embroidery and beading.
Styles range from punk-meets-chic and exotically decadent to classic leather designs with fashion-able twists. The line offers two major seasonal collections which, along with designs exclusive to Vietnam, make attractive collector’s items at affordable prices – a point not lost on tourists,
bags of style at ipa-nima ipa-nima的手袋 時尚出眾
Song strives to be eco-friendly
Song致力出售不會損害環境的產品
Song’s products are mostly hand embroidered
Song的產品多半以 人工刺繡製成
Cathay Pacific airways flies three times a day to ho Chi minh City
the girL From iPa-nimaIpa-Nima’s mantra, “Be Original. Be Daring. Be Different”, sums up its founder, Hong Kong-born Christina Yu. A former lawyer, Yu moved to Hanoi and morphed into the High Priestess of Handbags, creating Ipa-Nima in 1997. The first Vietnam-based fashion house to achieve global acclaim, Ipa-Nima bags retail in Ho Chi Minh City and in prestigious stores worldwide, with outlets in Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo.
“The vitality and dynamics of Ho Chi Minh City is unrivalled, with huge potential to be the next big hip city in Southeast Asia,” says Yu.
Ipa-Nima designed Cathay Pacific’s exclusive First Class Female Amenity Bag.
52 d i scov e ry S E p t E m b E r 2 0 0 8
ipa-nima’s bags blend textures
ipa-nima採用多種物料製的手袋
Christina yu executives and celebrities. Ipa-Nima’s Ho Chi Minh City boutiques feature opulent, bohemian interiors with a distinctive boudoir feel –
think purple suede couches and elegant chandeliers. 85 Pasteur Street, District one,