The ALIA
Volume I. Issue X. Oct. 6, 2020.
Dear Readers,
Welcome to the tenth issue of The ALIA, a weekly newsletter dedicated to the lives of Asian women in America, and beyond, where we bring you the latest news and insightful conversations with industry professionals. In this volume, we feature women in fashion, media and arts. Subscribe for free here.
Letter from the editor:
Hello! It’s so good to see you again, and a warm welcome to our new subscribers. Can you believe it’s October already! Time flies. With Election Day approaching in 28 days, don’t forget to register to vote.
This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Narissara “Ben” Hebbard, who launched her independent fashion label at 22-years-old. Her classy signature pieces, inspired by her Thai Australian roots, have captured ours and the attention of many in just three months. Her brand philosophy is slow, sustainable fashion that is handmade in small batches or made-to-order.
As Ben chatted about her Thai background and summer breaks spent in Phuket and Koh Samui, I couldn’t help but dream about transporting myself to the sandy beaches and warm island weather. As fall is upon us here, what are your favorite fall activities?
P.S. You may have noticed different emailing times over the last two weeks. With readers worldwide, we are experimenting with various publishing times. Let us know what time you want to see us in your inbox!
I hope you enjoy!
Sincerely,
Annie Lin
Founder of The ALIA
If you could like to learn more about this project, please contact us at contact@alia.news
Asian Creatives
Clockwise from top left: @benhebbard, @nadine, @kelseymerritt, @idaandu
Community News
Loss in fashion • Iconic fashion designer Kenzo Takada, founder of his eponymous French fashion house, passed away in Paris on Sunday from COVID-19 complications. He was 81. The fashion world mourns his death with an outpour of tributes on social media. Takada was the honorary president of the Asian Couture Federation, and he once said, “Fashion is not for the few — it is for all the people.” Read: The New York Times
Reach out • Asian American domestic violence organizations have reported increased cases of abuse during the pandemic. Many women, constantly being watched by their partners, were afraid to reach out for help. As coronavirus restrictions have loosened, more survivors have reached out for help. If you are facing domestic violence, call the national hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or chat online 24/7. Read: NBC News
Role models • Spotlighting 17 South Asian female entrepreneurs, from beauty brand Live Tinted’s Deepica Mutyala to multimillion-dollar company ClassPass’s Payal Kadakia Pujji, the women chat about South Asian identity, style, career advice and starting a business. Read: PopSugar
Hop on the bus • Asian American members of Congress joined Joe Biden’s campaign for a virtual bus tour that kicked of last Friday with events to reach Asian American and Pacific Islander voters who were often forgotten by campaigns in the past. AAPI voters are the fastest-growing electorate compared to all other major races and ethnicities. Read: NBC News
In Conversation with Ben Hebbard
This week, we’re joined by Narissara “Ben” Hebbard, 22, Thai Australian model, actor and founder of her eponymous fashion label. From her Melbourne apartment, we chatted about her multicultural background, infusing her Thai heritage into her designs and how she launched a fashion brand after university.
This interview has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
Tell us about yourself. How did you get into modeling?
I was born and raised in Thailand. I moved to Australia when I was 13, and I’ve been here ever since. I went to an all-girls Thai school, and I was very reserved for most of my life. Thai people keep to themselves and don’t always express how they feel or what they really want. I had to adapt from being timid and shy to stepping up my game to make friends in Australia.
I was scouted in Bangkok when I was about 14. My friend posted a photo of me, and an agency direct messaged me. I only properly started modeling about four or five years ago. I really like it, but I don’t think I’d do it for the rest of my life. I modeled in Thailand over summer breaks, and when I moved to Melbourne for university, I decided to continue modeling here. Last year, I graduated from RMIT with a bachelor’s in communication, specializing in advertising.
My mom is Thai, she’s quite reserved, but she's always said, you shouldn’t be afraid to do what makes you happy. She’s always been super supportive of my career and whatever I wanted to do. One of the reasons I wanted to start my label was that I was inspired by my mom’s clothes. Honestly, she was the biggest style icon back in the 1980s. She kept everything she used to own, and I love going through her closet to find cute pieces. One of my designs was a dress she wore in the 80s, but I tweaked it here and there. She took fashion risks, and she was bold. She represents my style icon and who I want to be.
Where does your design inspiration come from?
My inspiration comes from traveling. Usually, I travel a lot around Asia. When I went back to Thailand last year, that’s when I wanted to start my label. I love Thailand so much. The weather and food are always great. It’s summer all year round, and people are always wearing bright, colorful, vibrant clothes. On the other hand, Melbourne fashion is very much black, white and neutrals. It was such a huge change for me. I find that many Australian brands are hesitant to take the risk with colorful pieces. I think that if you see someone wearing a colorful shirt, your mood is likely to be better than if you see a whole room wearing black and white.
I’ve been trying to merge the two cultures with prints and colors. Thai prints are very floral. The pastel blues and greens symbolize nature and beaches. I’m such a beachy person, so I wanted to incorporate that into the brand because Melbourne’s weather is always cold, and I’m over it. It’s something a bit different, without being too bold. I thought it would be such a big risk, but people have responded well, and it’s been an amazing journey.
Launching a brand during a global pandemic is a risk. How did you do it all by yourself?
I was supposed to launch it in March, but that was when the first wave hit the world. In July, I thought if I don’t launch it now, I don’t know what will happen. This is the lowest of the low the world is going to hit, so I was like I’m just going to take the risk, put it out there and see how it goes. It can’t get worse than this, so it can only get better.
It has been challenging doing everything myself, from the designing, sourcing fabrics, shipping, to marketing. Previously, it was made in Thailand, and I shipped them to Australia. However, with the ongoing pandemic, I have shifted production to Australia. Everything is ethically handmade in Australia. Very minimal stock is created, and some designs can be made-to-order, depending on how long people are willing to wait. I sketch all the designs myself, and I take it to my sample maker who helps me source sustainable fabrics. I’ve always loved drawing and sketching. During university, I was able to design advertisements and campaigns. The creativity was always there.
Fast fashion makes money, but they’re not environmentally conscious. It’s creating waste in landfills and a greater carbon footprint. It’s not something that many people want to talk about. As long as people are willing to try, or even changing bits of their brand to be more environmentally conscious, it can bring more awareness, that’s what I’m trying to do at least.
Asian-owned Brands
Weekly Thoughts
Last week: What is your favorite Asian food?
Your responses:
“My favorite is bánh giò. There's something so harmonious between the aroma of the banana leaves, the rice dough's glutinous texture and the savoriness of the pork and mushrooms. Since it's not very popular and usually isn't served in Vietnamese restaurants here in Montreal, I can only devour them in my grandma's kitchen on special occasions. It's considered more of a side dish, but I can definitely make a meal out of them!” – Jenny Do, Montreal, Canada
“My favorite is noodles. I can’t pinpoint where my love for noodles stemmed from. Growing up in an Asian family meant having rice every meal. Noodles naturally became a source of escape from the mundane. I also love how versatile noodles are. Anywhere in the world, you can find noodles of all flavors, forms, tastes and textures. Living in Singapore where it’s summer all year round, naengmyeon is the perfect cold noodle – sour, refreshing and satisfying.” – Sophia Huang, Singapore
This week: What traditional Asian outfit do you wear for occasions?
#ALIAtalks and tag us @alia.news to join the conversation and we will feature the best submissions in next week’s newsletter. For email submissions, please email contact@alia.news
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