I left home with a humble suitcase on a solo mission.

I had never been to the crazy city of Saigon. It oozes with an energy even thicker than it’s humidity. Surprisingly, being alone in a completely new city was more empowering than I thought.

After a while, my exploring landed me a job, a few friends and a place to stay. But the little suitcase was only going to get me so far… if I was going to make it, I would need a wardrobe.

The task of building a wardrobe from scratch may seem daunting but it turns out I was built for the job. I had a clean slate to redefine my style - which I never quite figured out at home. On my off days, I spent my time navigating the dense alleyways to find the very best boutiques.

I researched exactly where all the cool-kids were shopping, made friends with the store assistants and even learned how to say "Where did you get that?" in Vietnamese so I could stop girls on the streets.

All while regularly getting lost, it was worth it. For the first time, I was shopping successfully every time. I was spoiled for cut, quality and fabrics: falling in love with the feel of the silks, the structure of the linens and the touch of the cottons. I quickly built a wardrobe that was minimal, versatile and better yet: local.

I had the idea to share this experience back home. I thought “If not now, then when?” and got straight to work.

The Hems collections are entirely sourced by hand on the ground in Saigon. This way, each garment tells a story.

‘hẻm’ is Vietnamese for 'narrow road or alley'.

‘the hems’ are the roads of Saigon I travelled to bring stories to your wardrobe.

Welcome to the story, let's build your wardrobe together!

Sarah Jane | @sezi_j  

MORE: READ OUR IOL FEATURE HERE: #YouthDay: How this Girl Boss created an online clothing store (written by our very own customer, Sacha!)