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MADE IN SAIGON
FASHIONISTAS NOW HAVE A NEW CITY TO SCOUR; NANA CHEN IS THRILLED TO DISCOVER THE CUTTING-EDGE CLOTHING AND HOMEWARE CREATIONS OF HO CHI MINH CITY’S INTERNATIONAL DESIGN SET. HERE’S THE TOP 10 MADE IN
1 DOGMA
The designs here are bold, provocative and sexy. “I like stuff that’s got an element of punk combined with propaganda and the Cold War,” says 28- year-old Dave MacMillan, the unassuming Australian designer behind some of the most out-of-the-box elements on the Ho Chi Minh City fashion scene.
Having recently shown twice at New York’s Urban Fashion Week, it’s no surprise that the brand has expanded to three locations around town, offering clothing for men and women, as well as accessories, gift ware and bright propaganda posters.
29A Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel +84 (8) 825-6817, www.dogmavietnam.com
2 MYSTERE
“My wife and I take road trips to villages deep in the mountains in search of traditional Vietnamese handicrafts. Th en we gather unique pieces and bring them to the city,” says Dirk Salewski, Mystere’s owner. “Our shop has handmade items from over ten tribes, and growing!”
With staff dressed in traditional Vietnamese clothing (left ), Mystere is hard to miss along fashionable Dong Khoi Street. Warmly lit, the shop feels more like a gallery with its extensive range of handicrafts. The large, hand-woven wall hangings would be the envy of all future houseguests.
141 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel +84 (8) 823-9615
3 NGUYEN FRÈRES
Occupying two storefronts, the two grand entrances here are beautifully decorated with antique tables, while incense burns and pink lotus flowers float in a tub. Great for gifts, the store’s range includes items such as tribal belts and contemporary furniture with French-Indochine flair. Those seeking dangling earrings, Vietnamese water puppets and colourful silk scarves need look no further.
2 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel +84 (8) 823-9459
4 MOSAIQUE
“The Saigonese adjust easily to changes. They’re more outgoing and take risks in style,” says Alan Duong, Ho Chi Minh City’s homeware design queen. Because her shop serves as a testing ground for new products, there is always something new and exciting on offer.
The two-storey boutique displays favourites such as beaded birdcage lamps (left ), inspired by the cages the Saigonese like to hang by the roadside, and silver Vietnamese coffee filters that represent the deeply embedded French cafe culture. There is also a small collection of silk and cotton clothing for both men and women upstairs.
98 Mac Thi Buoi Street, District 1, tel +84 (8) 824-8726, www.mosaiquedecoration.com
5 MAI’S
“I feel inspired by the four generations of my family in Vietnam along with the sights and sounds of Saigon,” says Mai Lam, whose ‘luxe urban wear’ has put her at the forefront of the local fashion scene. Her flagship store in the historic Continental Hotel stands out from the competition with its dramatic low-hanging chandelier and the vintage motorcycle parked beside the funky clothing.
Mai’s creations include a range of US army-inspired jackets, each unique and adorned with hand embroidery. Based on traditional Vietnamese designs, but with a modern twist, her popular distressed tops are also reversible. With an eye set on the West, Mai’s first shop outside of Vietnam is due to open its doors in Barcelona next year.
132-134 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel +84 (8) 827-2733
6 IPA-NIMA
Walking into an Ipa-Nima boutique is akin to entering a girl’s dream closet with nearly every inch of wall space flanked by bags and accessories to suit all personalities, sizes and shapes.
Hong Kong designer Christina Yu has been producing bags and accessories since 1997 and is a familiar face on the local fashion scene and beyond. Collections include vintage-inspired designs which range from the bright and alternative to the ultra glamorous. Yu’s bags are especially coveted, and have attracted the attentions of Cate Blanchett and Maggie Cheung.
85 Pasteur Street, District 1, tel +84 (8) 824-2701, www.ipa-nima.com
7 LITI
With its fine antique jewellery sets on hand-crocheted lace displayed inside handsome antique cupboards (right), quaint Liti has a very Parisian feel.
Designer Yuki Nishikawa expanded her line to include women’s clothing a year after opening her shop. And her style? “Clothes that are simple and easy for everyone to wear is the basic concept, but I also get inspiration from antique clothing and adapt them to modern styles.”
Find cropped, wide-pant linen trousers and linen tops with embroidered necklines. Clothed out, rummage through a selection of antique silverware found in British flea markets.
76E Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1, tel +84 (8) 824-7114
8 SONG
“I get my inspiration from all over the world,” explains Saigon-based French designer Valerie Gregori McKenzie, who created the luxury resortwear label Song (meaning “life” in Vietnamese).
To get the right balance between the hemispheres, Valerie makes time to visit cooler countries to ascertain how much we need to cover up in winter, while also beaching-out in warmer climes to seek inspiration for her summer range. From strappy linen tops to embroidered men’s fitted shirts, Song clothing makes use of natural fibres such as bamboo or organic cotton and linen.
76D Le Thanh Ton & Eden Mall, G Floor, 106 Nguyen Hue, District 1, tel +84 (8) 824-6986, www.asiasongdesign.com
9 GAYA
“Saigon’s style is messy, charming and loud,” enthuses Michele de Albert, known in the trade as the lacquerware diva of Vietnam, and one of the five designers that make up Gaya, the swanky home design boutique.
Also on offer are Catherine Denoual bed linens, indoor and outdoor furniture by Lawson Johnston, galvanised aluminium cast chairs by Quasar Khanh and silk clothing by French-Cambodian designer Romyda Keth.
Call for information on the new location, which will have been released by the time you read this. Those in the know say it will be even more impressive than the original.
39 Ton That Thiep Street, District 1, tel +84 (8) 914-3769, www.gayavietnam.com
10 GOSTO
“My family loves shoes and have been involved in shoemaking for generations. I can look at a foot and tell exactly what size and width it is,” says Niki Le, a local lawyer-turned-shoemaker.
Having cut their teeth manufacturing shoes for international brands before establishing their own make, the designers here can recite the number of Swarovski crystals that go into a pair of exquisite red suede pumps and the time it takes a steady hand to set each one.
58 Le Loi, District 1
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