Chinese-American designer Vivienne Tam is all about embracing her traditional Asian roots while incorporating a contemporary American twist into her designs in her Fall collection. Tam was born in China but moved to New York City 30 years ago in order to pursue her fashion dreams, selling “her first designs out of a duffel bag to Henri Bendel and a handful of Manhattan boutiques," Tam told Uinterview in an exclusive video interview. This ambition and drive has led her label to become a staple among the fashion elite; her line currently generates $62 million a year in revenue from her stores in New York, Hong Kong and Japan.
In our interview, the designer talks about creating pieces that infuse elements of both the East and West. She cites Chinese Opera as the inspiration for her Fall collection, explaining the difficulties of creating pieces that are rich and opulent while still being appropriate to wear during the day. So what does Tam want to wear? "If the pieces are special enough, then I'll wear that," she told uInterview. "So my style is that I would love to wear something that's really special. I like to stand out when I wear it. When I grew up, I used to make all my own clothes by myself, and I wanted to look outstanding. I have the only piece. I make all my own clothes myself – there's only one piece in the world. That's how I started my career. It's not that I wanted to stand out in a crowd, but I love when people say, 'I love what you are wearing.' I feel so much joy when people say, 'I love what you are wearing.' "
Learm more on Vivienne Tam in our exclusive video interview below as part of a series of interviews on Defining Style presented by Effen Vodka.
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I didn't know what the costumes for Chinese opera looked like, so I googled it. They're so vibrant and colorful and ornately beautiful. And her designs really have a similar feel. It's amazing.
I didn't know what the costumes for Chinese opera looked like, so I googled it. They're so vibrant and colorful and ornately beautiful. And her designs really have a similar feel. It's amazing.
I love that Vivienne Tam is inspired by things that are very personal to her, such as Chinese opera and minority Chinese culture and that she is bringing this inspiration in her fashion to the masses.