Mai LamCheap vs Chic

Clashing cultural elements inform a dynamic Vietnamese fashion brand

Vietnamese fashion designer Mai Lam is a force of nature. Her fascinating and moving story from riches to rags to entrepreneurial artist has shaped a mindset that fuses pride in the history and culture of Vietnam with a contemporary vision of the country. And in combining workers’ jackets with intricately detailed embroidery, or vintage silk coats with knock-off t-shirts, Mai Lam’s garments embody this mindset in a collision of real and fake; cheap and chic.

This creative chaos produces beautiful and original clothes, but previously caused some confusion from a brand perspective. One of her most prominent endeavors, the primely located Mai Lam boutique in Ho Chi Minh City needed structure and separation from her other artistic pursuits. Her fashion line required a strategy that would set it apart, and set her up for global success.

When the designer first turned to Base for an outsider’s input, we traveled to Vietnam for a photoshoot with our long-time collaborator Régis Golay. The photos immersed the apparel in the dynamic, modern city streets from which Mai Lam draws so much of her inspiration. Working alongside these two artists, we brought order and sensibility to their creative concepts, resulting in powerful imagery that truly captures the spirit of the brand.

The brand strategy that followed adapted existing elements – logotype, photography, narrative – into a framework that provided specific communications tools and a digital focus, to invite customers into her world via a website and social media.

Given total freedom, no expectations, unwavering confidence, and pure creativity, we transformed a disorganized artistic project on a fancy street into a revived, radical fashion label with clear vision, direction, and international appeal. Bringing a brand to a global stage that has a very local perspective, that’s inherently Vietnamese, and is reflective of Mai Lam’s boundless energy and masterful execution was a breath of fresh air for the world of high fashion.

Vietnamese fashion designer Mai Lam is a force of nature. Her fascinating and moving story from riches to rags to entrepreneurial artist has shaped a mindset that fuses pride in the history and culture of Vietnam with a contemporary vision of the country. And in combining workers’ jackets with intricately detailed embroidery, or vintage silk coats with knock-off t-shirts, Mai Lam’s garments embody this mindset in a collision of real and fake; cheap and chic.

This creative chaos produces beautiful and original clothes, but previously caused some confusion from a brand perspective. One of her most prominent endeavors, the primely located Mai Lam boutique in Ho Chi Minh City needed structure and separation from her other artistic pursuits. Her fashion line required a strategy that would set it apart, and set her up for global success.

When the designer first turned to Base for an outsider’s input, we traveled to Vietnam for a photoshoot with our long-time collaborator Régis Golay. The photos immersed the apparel in the dynamic, modern city streets from which Mai Lam draws so much of her inspiration. Working alongside these two artists, we brought order and sensibility to their creative concepts, resulting in powerful imagery that truly captures the spirit of the brand.

The brand strategy that followed adapted existing elements – logotype, photography, narrative – into a framework that provided specific communications tools and a digital focus, to invite customers into her world via a website and social media.

Given total freedom, no expectations, unwavering confidence, and pure creativity, we transformed a disorganized artistic project on a fancy street into a revived, radical fashion label with clear vision, direction, and international appeal. Bringing a brand to a global stage that has a very local perspective, that’s inherently Vietnamese, and is reflective of Mai Lam’s boundless energy and masterful execution was a breath of fresh air for the world of high fashion.