Shana is an incredible talent that I had the privilege of meeting three years ago. We instantly hit it off with our love of all things interiors and fashion. She has built her own namesake brand with incredible pieces of art and home decor that include pillows and wallpaper along with a line of incredibly chic scarves and twillys. Fun fact about Shana and I.....we have actually never met in person!! We have only met via Google Meet and FaceTime. One day soon we hope to meet in person either in Texas or Paris!!
We could not be more excited to be working and collaborating together on our line of beautiful linen prints for you to wear or for your home and I know you all will enjoy getting to know Shana. Cheers!
How and where did you grow up and how did it contribute to who you are today?
I grew up in Maryland in the US. Almost all of my dad’s family is from the Maryland and Washington DC area and it’s where the majority of my family in the US lives.
My father is Jewish American and my mother is Vietnamese, having arrived to the US after the Fall of Saigon in 1975. I often think about them meeting in the 1970s while in high school, my mom barely speaking English and her being a refugee from a country with heightened sensibilities given US involvement in Vietnam during that time. That must have been so difficult for them to navigate and almost taboo. I don’t think anyone expected their relationship to last and blossom into the life and family they’ve now created.
They’re still happily together to this day and it’s their relationship with one another - having come from different countries, races, religions, and languages, that’s given me an innate ability to find commonalities between people, inspirations, and places.
What inspired you to do what you do? Where does your inspiration come from?
Throughout my life I’ve been asked by strangers questions like “What are you?” or “Where are you really from?”, based on the way I look. I believe it’s a natural desire to want to feel a sense of belonging and the consistent external questioning of what I was inevitably made me feel “othered” during some of my most formative years.
It wasn’t until recent years that I’ve emerged into my own identity without letting society or others define it for me. A major turning point was my decision to switch careers after moving to Paris in 2019. I studied civil engineering during my undergrad and worked in tech throughout the start of my career in the US, but I reached a turning point around the time I moved to France. For the first time I was exploring who I was, who I wanted to become, and the stories I wanted to express.
I decided to go back to school and get my Masters in Interior Decoration at L'Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués, a French fashion and design school based in Paris. While studying for my masters, I noticed my interior designs were decidedly different from my classmates who were mostly French. I almost always incorporated Asian and British design influences, a clear homage to my cultural backgrounds. My designs echo my childhood, my family, my reflections on identity, while being overlaid on a backdrop of French decorative arts.
Whether I’m painting new artworks, designing a room, or styling an outfit for the day ahead, I find inspiration in mixing my collective cultures.
Is there a specific style that you are drawn to for your art?
I’m drawn to the idea of being transported to another era and I really enjoy tracing the historical movements of people, goods, and ideas across regions. I’m particularly fond of the elegant artistry of the 18th century on noble materials such as porcelain and silk. The 18th century is where we began to see the popularization of chinoiserie across Europe, which historically is rooted in Asian craft. I’m also drawn to the Art Deco movement. Art Deco was born out of a great exchange and collaboration between American and French artists, architects, and designers.
Art and fashion really go hand in hand. How would you describe your fashion style?
My current fashion style is “mixed classic vintage”. I care a lot about the quality, fit, and heritage in what I wear. I tend to wear a lot of prints and patterns on my dresses, but then will go and pair a really feminine puff sleeve blouse with a pair of vintage men’s trousers. I think something that’s unique to my wardrobe is how much menswear I incorporate into my everyday. I really enjoy pairing feminine pieces with men’s pants, button downs, blazers, and shoes.
What is a favorite piece of art and fashion you have either created or collected over the years?
My favorite piece is the Lemon Caftan from our spring collaboration. I nearly cried when I saw photos of the sample!!! The creative space for me as an artist can be quite personal and guarded, it’s filled with vulnerability. In working with you I love that we equally invite each other into the creative process and trust one another so deeply within our respective strengths. Our Lemon Caftan is tangible evidence of two women’s strengths coming together, across cultures and countries, and the greatest gift is knowing the joy this piece can bring others. There’s something about seeing this piece that immediately transports you - perhaps through memories of past vacations or dreams of future travel, to a state of pure bliss.
Something about you that would surprise people?
I was a competitive figure skater in the US. I won nationals on synchronized skating teams and also coached figure skating throughout my 20s. Figure skating is a hobby I still enjoy to this day in Paris. I create some of my best work after skating. It’s more comfortable for me to be out on the ice than walking outside, there’s a state of flow I can achieve while skating that’s nearly indescribable.
What is your favorite thing about living in Paris?
Being based in Paris, it feels as if I am living in an endless book of inspiration - the architecture and art movements I remember reading about while growing up in the US are now at my doorstep. It’s a city that cares about culture so deeply. There’s always a new expo, a new exhibit, a new event - while the city may look architecturally similar through the decades, the heart of the city is vibrant and ever-changing.
Any upcoming projects you want to share with us?
I recently moved in to the new place that my husband and I purchased, so there’s a ton of interior projects I’m working on. Our home is becoming my playground for testing new ideas and showcasing my designs. As a multidisciplinary creative, I sometimes feel I can fall short on words to describe my creative expressions and aesthetics, but with our home I’m more easily able to express all that is my universe. My explorations are ever-moving, guided by a sense to move towards new mediums or new challenges, and having my own space to freely explore is nothing short of liberating. My biggest upcoming interior project is painting a chinoiserie mural in our dining space, it will be my biggest artwork to date and a great challenge to scale my creative process to a new level.
I’m also very excited for our Fall collaboration! With it being our second season collaborating, we’re definitely building on our learnings from our first go round. Already the sketches and concepts for our Fall collaboration I feel are some of the best work I’ve created to date and I can’t wait to see what we’ll create for the Fall.
