Vivienne Tam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vivienne Tam
譚燕玉 |
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Vivienne Tam at the 2011 Time 100 gala.
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| Born |
Tam Yin Yok
28 November 1957 |
| Education | Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
Vivienne Tam (simplified Chinese: 谭燕玉; traditional Chinese: 譚燕玉; Mandarin Pinyin: Tán Yànyù; Jyutping: taam4 jin3juk6, born 28 November 1957) is a talented fashion designer. She lives and works in New York City. Vivienne was born in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. When she was three years old, her family moved to Hong Kong. She later studied fashion at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Vivienne Tam's fashion brand is named after her. Her designs are a mix of Chinese culture, modern fashion, and ideas from both East and West. Her very first collection was called "EAST WIND CODE." She wrote a book named China Chic. In this book, she explored how Chinese style blends with Western style. She also shared how Chinese culture, like her mother's cheongsam dress, influenced her. Vivienne Tam has also worked with Hewlett-Packard. She helped create special designer netbook computers for them. These included versions of the HP Mini 1000 and the HP Mini 210. She also designed clothes for characters in the Animax movie LaMB. In 2013, she worked with the Chinese jewelry brand TSL. They showed their designs together at her Spring fashion show.
Contents
Early Life and Inspiration
Vivienne Tam was born in Guangzhou, China. Her family moved to Hong Kong when she was three. Her parents had faced challenges during Mao Zedong's rule. These experiences later inspired Vivienne's "MAO" collection. Vivienne loved fashion from a young age. She watched her mother make clothes for the family. By age eight, Vivienne was making outfits for herself and her siblings. She even made special clothes for Lunar New Year. She went to a Catholic school where she learned English. At home, she spoke Cantonese with her family. Later, she studied fashion design at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. There, she earned her Higher Diploma in Fashion Design.
Starting Her Fashion Business
After finishing her studies, Vivienne moved to New York City. She wanted to start her own business there. Her first company was named East Wind Code. She started it in March 1982. The name East Wind Code means "good luck and prosperity" in Chinese. Her clothes were made in Hong Kong. However, she had a workspace on West 38th Street in New York City. After ten years, she changed her business name to "Vivienne Tam." This happened just before her first big show at New York Fashion Week.
Blending East and West
Vivienne Tam is famous for her "East meets West" designs. Her life in Hong Kong and her family's history in China connect her to both cultures. Tam believes the world works on a yin-yang idea. So, her collections often mix old traditions with new modern styles. Through her fashion, she wants to show the beauty of Chinese culture to the Western world. Vivienne Tam's collections highlight the special character of Chinese culture. She uses her designs to show that Chinese clothing is more than just clothes. It is also a form of art, creativity, and a reflection of many years of history.
Famous Works and Collections
Vivienne Tam's first collections used many traditional Chinese prints, fabrics, and designs. Her clothes became popular with people who liked Asian-inspired fashion.
The MAO Collection
In 1995, Vivienne Tam worked with artist Zhang Hongtu. They created the "MAO" collection together. Both Vivienne Tam's and Zhang Hongtu's families had faced difficulties during Mao's time. This collection was a way for them to express their feelings. The collection included funny pictures of Mao. For example, one image showed "Mao so Young" with pigtails. Another image called "Ow Mao" showed Mao with a bee on his nose. She made many printed t-shirts with these humorous images. Another part of the collection featured clothes inspired by the "Zhongshan suit." This suit was also known as the "Mao suit." These suits had black-and-white images of Mao all over them. Vivienne Tam saw this collection as more serious. It showed the good and bad effects Mao had on Chinese culture.
Some people in the Asian American community felt this collection was not respectful. They thought it was in poor taste because many people had suffered under Mao's rule. Vivienne even found it hard to find a factory in Hong Kong to make the clothes. There were also small protests at her store. Despite these challenges, some pieces from this collection became permanent artworks. They are now in the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. They are also in the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Museum in Los Angeles. Other pieces are in the Texas Fashion Collection and New York's Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Year of the Dragon Collection
This collection came out in the Spring of 2001. It was inspired by Asian culture and featured images of Buddha. Vivienne explained that she wanted to make the Buddha image "more accessible to the people."
Growing Her Business
In 1996, Vivienne Tam expanded her fashion business. She created a shoe line for Candie's. The next year, she opened her first store in New York City. Then, she opened branches in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Kobe, Japan.
2017 Spring Collection
In Fall 2016, Tam showed her Spring and Summer collection at New York Fashion Week. This collection featured famous Houston logos. Tam worked with Visit Houston and Asian Wives Club. They wanted to show a new side of the city of Houston.
2018 Fall/Winter Collection
In February 2018, Tam presented her Fall/Winter 2018 collection. This collection was inspired by a "spiritual journey" through the Himalayas to Tibet. She showed it in Gallery I of Spring Studios.
Images for kids
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Vivienne Tam at the 2011 Time 100 gala.
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Vivienne Tam 'Mao' Jacket from Spring/Summer 1995.
