Q+A: Wanderlust in Cambodia
Elizabeth Kiester has done wonders collaborating both fashion and social responsibility. Being the founder of Wanderlust, a boutique that sits in beautiful Siem Reap, she designs and sells pretty stylish clothes and accessories while at the same time offering a helping hand to the community.
Not a stranger to the fashion world, Elizabeth hails from New York with the experience of being a fashion editor for magazines such as Mademoiselle and Seventeen to name a few. I spoke to Elizabeth to get an inside scoop of her passion and herself.
Here at Wanderlust, feast your eyes on brightly coloured dresses and chunky pieces of accessories. All clothes are designed by Elizabeth herself with the help of four local seamstresses. You can also find bracelets and postcards handcrafted by children from the local orphanage here. Not just a typical boutique, there is also free wi-fi and volunteer opportunities to help the community.
Let's talk about Wanderlust - what exactly is Wanderlust all about?
Wanderlust is me, and I am Wanderlust! But I believe there is a wanderlust spirit in most of us. The word says everything - someone who has a passion and desire to travel, to wander, to see. That's me! I am an explorer. And I named my shop this because my goal is to address all the chicks that come into my shop who are wanderers themselves, and looking for things that can wander with them effortlessly, whether that's a dress, a tee shirt, a postcard painted by kids here, or a little bracelet made by a rural family.
How long has Wanderlust been around?
I opened the shop in October of 2008! It feels like 5 minutes ago, but at the same time, it seems like I've been here for ages!
As you know we are a fashion blog and we love everything fashion. It looks like you have taken fashion to a whole new level. Designing, sewing your own line and giving back to the community, how did you come up with all these ideas and such a great/giving concept?
Well, I initially came to Siem Reap, Cambodia on a 'volunteer vacation' program offered by non-profits to use your holiday time from work to do something for a community - to work, to learn, to experience another culture. Doing this work, I realized that I was learning and getting much more than I was giving, and I knew then the value of volunteerism, the depth and strength of the human spirit, and the ways in which people heal each other without really knowing it.
My idea to do a fashion store here in Siem Reap grew from this feeling. I wanted to live here, support the community, be a part of the healing process that this country is going through right now after decades of strife, war and tragedy.
There are a whole lot of girls like me that live in Siem Reap, doing amazing things with NGOs, and I saw immediately that I would have a strong customer base here. We all are here to help the Cambodian people, to give back, to learn and to grow, but we are all still girls who like dresses and looking cute!
You have such an extensive and impressive background. Do tell us more about you and your experience in fashion.
I lucked into fashion, being so clueless about it when I got a break and got hired as an assistant at Mademoiselle Magazine. I always loved clothes, but had no idea that there were jobs out there that I would be right for.
Over the years, I was lucky enough to work on the launches of two really "revolutionary" women's fashion magazines - first, Marie Claire, and years later, JANE. It was here that I was given the chance to write and style and edit and do things that at other places I would never have had the opportunity. And I learned so, so much. It was amazing.
Later, I went over to the "other side" and left publishing for good in pursuit of doing fashion direction and trend forecasting for Abercrombie & Fitch and later, LeSportsac. LeSportsac in particular was incredible, because I got another chance to give "birth" again, by launching the hugely successful Stella McCartney for LeSportsac collection, and that was amazing. Again, it was such a great learning opportunity.
How does Wanderlust give back to community?
I am currently working in conjunction with an NGO here called CFI (Coalition for Financial Independence) on a project in a village called Takeo, south of Phnom Penh. CFI's goal is to help local people find sustainable employment and grow their own businesses with the help of people like me and you and anyone else who wants to pitch in with ideas and advice or guidance, via the internet.
There are loads of projects being done by CFI, and I encourage my customers to be involved, share their voice, their vision and work experiences and help us here who live in Cambodia help the Cambodian people get back on their feet.
I stock various products that local NGOs are creating in order to help build sustainable jobs here for the local women. Hipstar is a very, very cute collection that is done in conjunction with an NGO called PEPY. What a 'hipstar' is, is a traditional silk Khmer scarf that buttons low on your hips as an obi-style sash belt, but has a hidden zipper pocket at the top for your valuables and phone, etc. I sell them like crazy! They come in a zillion colours and prints.
I also sell these amazing silk beaded necklaces and bracelets by a company called Nikaya, which is a branch of another NGO here called Journeys Within. Nikaya, too, trains locals on handicrafting and jewelry making and again, proceeds go back to them.
My favorites are LoveCards, which are postcards hand painted by kids in a local orphanage here. For $2 you get the most gorgeous little piece of artwork you can mail to your friends back home, or just frame it! All the money from selling these funds more art classes and buy art supplies for the kids.
The kids at the street children's center I work with painted pottery animals that are piggy banks. I give all the money we make from them back to the school so the kids can have a better lunch or some new flip flops. All kids love working with their hands and getting messy, and these kids just have never had the chance to do something fun like this. And we did and it was amazing. When I opened the shop, all the kids came for the grand opening and were so proud to see their work displayed amongst the dresses and shoes. It was awesome.
You make your own line of clothing, do tell us where you get your ideas and inspirations from.
My inspiration comes from my own travels and favorite things, dresses & stuff that I bought years ago that I've loved and worn to death. I have a great group of friends here who I call my 'muses', because they provide me with ideas and thoughts about how to improve things, what they love, what works for them, etcetera. We have fun!
Are your designs only available for purchase at your boutique?
For the moment, yes. Cambodia is still in the infancy stage in terms of internet and all of that, so E-commerce is something I will eventually do, but I have to be patient and let the country catch up with me and my ideas!
Do you only sell clothes or do you sell other items as well?
The majority of what I sell is clothes, but I offer jewelry, sandals, espadrilles, hair accessories, pillows (which have done quite well!) and little trinkets like the LoveCards.
What is the price range of your collections?
Prices range from $1 for an embroidered 'wanderlust' bracelet, to $6 for leather and grosgrain flipflops, to $50 for a full length dress.
How would you describe your personal fashion style?
Well, I would say I am eclectic. Some days, I am in all black, channeling Yohji and Ann DeMeulemeester. Other days, I am feeling very Harajuku and will be in something ridiculously bright with a pom pom hair elastic (that I made and sell in the store) in a bun on top of my head.
I love heels but I love my Chuck Taylors. I am way into these Wrangler jeans I bought in London a few years ago, but I am obsessed with this floor length satin skirt from Margiela I bought at Century 21 for like $50. I will wear the jeans with 6" platforms and the Margiela skirt with sneakers.
I am a contrast of many different styles, and I love to mix it up. I think, however, my biggest thing is I don't really care or concern myself with what others think about what I wear. I dress in terms of how I feel, and it's my weird way of expressing something.
Care to share your favourite shops and which country you love to shop in?
There is nowhere in the world that I've visited that inspires and rocks me like Tokyo does. I am literally in tears of ecstasy every time I go there. The shopping there is absolutely incredible. There are dozens of stores there that I go to the second I get off the plane - Journal Standard, United Arrows, AndA, the Parco department store, Hanjiro...the list is pages long.
Second to Tokyo is Topshop on Oxford Street in London. This place is the mecca to all things cute, cheap and cheerful, and when I go there, I am like a contestant on "Supermarket Sweepstakes", grabbing everything and anything I can get my hands on.
Why Siem Reap? Do you see yourself settling down here for a long time?
Siem Reap is becoming a hot spot for creativity again. I have a handful of friends here who have more creativity in their pinky finger than most people have in their collective family tree! Siem Reap was historically a creative mecca for artisans and craftsmen. Angkor Wat, the extraordinary temples here, is proof of the artistry that's been here for thousands of years. Through the turmoil of the past 3 decades, the creativity was lost, but it's coming back, and we're here to support and encourage it. And I love it.
My goal and dream for Wanderlust is to have multiple stores in multiple hot weather, Southeast Asian towns and countries. I don't ever want to stop dreaming and pushing and going.
Any plans for the future? :-)
A year ago, I had never even BEEN to Cambodia, and had you asked me this very same question then, I never ever would've said, "Hmm, I think I will open a shop in Siem Reap, Cambodia and move there!" I've learned that we can't control our own destinies, and we need to allow ourselves to walk down paths that may be not have been part of a 'plan'. To just experiment and let go and allow the journey to take you places. And see what happens. Fingers crossed the whole way, of course!
Wanderlust is located at Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Tel: 855+012529924
Email Elizabeth at ek@wanderlustincambodia.com
wanderlustincambodia.com
You can also tune in to her blog here.
