Within the creative minds of Nam Tsang and Pauline Yuen is a world replete with beauty: great literature, fine fabrics, global culture and Chinese aesthetic history all meld into their shared design eye.
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Born from this intellectual union of fashion, freedom and high artistry is their label, A Tentative Atelier. For Fall/ Winter 2023 the duo dove down the rabbit hole into the storied realm of Lewis Carrol, and spun their own tale of romance, curiosity and old world elegance… with just a hint of refined wildness.
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Of note is the duo’s use of textile as a sculptural medium – silken knots, shredded fabric florals and intricate jacquards all sing from within their designs. Within their collection find a tactile wonderland of tufted virgin wool, hand-smocked linen and vegetable silk. Their cashmere, sourced from the famed Loro Piana mill in Italy, is particularly exquisite and buttery against the skin.
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A reversal of expectations – Pauline and Nam’s favorite creative mode – forms the foundation of their works. A patch pocket knit may read as just that from the front, but a peek on the backside reveals a row of mother of pearl buttons in a cardigan closure. In details such as this, they celebrate the art of garment – surprising, exciting, inventive (and just a little bit mad!) all at once.
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