Saigon Socialite Shoes

Elaborately crafted soles reincarnating Vietnam's artisanal villages through the ancient art of pagoda-carving

The elaborately carved soles of Saigon Socialite are the brainchild of LanVy Nguyen, born in Vietnam and raised in California. A corporate finance veteran, in 2007 Nguyen embarked on what she calls the “education of my life,” which began in a Vietnamese factory. A new openness had brought foreign investors seeking high skill, low cost labor, and while Nguyen admired the effect such infrastructure had …

POMS New GEMM Collection

The latest line draws inspiration from travel, nature and Fragglerock

Melbourne, Australia-based designer Adriana Giuffrida founded her playful and striking label POMS back in 2011, and while many of her designs remain true to the fluffy creations, her latest collection—GEMM*—explores new territory. The new range contrasts sweet pastels and semi-precious stones with robust metals and stronger shades, all the while perfectly blending a little tradition with ’80s and ’90s nostalgia and modern-day style. Giuffrida (who …

Kathrin Von Rechenberg’s Tea Silk

The Beijing-based designer looks to an ancient textile technique to create sleekly contemporary attire

Tea silk considered one of the most well-preserved gems in Chinese silk craftsmanship. Originating from the Ming Dynasty, this fabric was once considered the most luxurious silk. The ’30s became the gilded age for xiangyunsha (the Chinese name for tea silk, also called langchou)—more expensive than gold, it was among the most desired goods by Southeast Asian aristocrats, and in China it became an icon …