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| Cuivre Cardigan ( €100.78) |
I had a really hard time narrowing down my picks for today's post so I highly suggest you visit her store to pick your faves. In any case, click after the jump to see mine as well as read a very inspiring interview Wanyun kindly shared with us.
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| Camile Blouse (€100.78) |
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your store.
My name is Wanyun Chiu, the founder and the creative director of MétaFormose. The idea of MétaFormose came to me when I was working at a 9-5 job in London and approaching the end of my 20s. I remember feeling very uninspired at work and wanted to come home to Taiwan after spending much of my 20s moving from place to place. I knew I wanted to do something creative but I wasn’t sure exactly what. I had studied literature and communications, which are not directly related to the field of design, but I’ve always been drawn to storytelling, visual and otherwise. We started out as an online shop curating designs from around East Asia, which I naively thought was like putting together a visual story. Looking back, it was definitely a very romanticized way of seeing things but I don’t think I would have gotten anything done without that romantic optimism. Two years in, I was craving for more creative control, so with a growing clientele and some connection in the industry, we expanded the shop by starting our own label.
What makes your products special?
What we’re doing is slow fashion. More than 80% of our collection is made to measure, and lead-time ranges from 2-4 weeks, depending on the complexity of the design.Without having to stock fabric or samples, it frees up space and time to truly focus on our work, which is making something both the customer and my team would be happy with. We’ve also been direct-to-customer since day 1 so we can do our work at a fairly reasonable price point compared with what you normally see on the high street. We also don’t retire our products after just one season unless we run out of the fabric, so it’s kind of a growing collection of new and old pieces. Some of our best-sellers are from 3 years ago when we first started, and it’s a beautiful thing to see how they have continued to resonate with people.
Which of the products you have in the store is the most popular with your customer? Why do you think is that?
We have quite a diverse clientele (more than half of our customers are based overseas), so it’s always amazing to see how the very same design speaks differently to different cultures and how certain pieces have evolved and gained traction long after we released it. One of our best sellers across all regions is Desinvolte Dress, a jersey dress that is feminine, flowy, and flattering to most body types. Ultimately, I think people gravitate towards clothes that they can feel comfortable in but still look sleek and stylish.
My name is Wanyun Chiu, the founder and the creative director of MétaFormose. The idea of MétaFormose came to me when I was working at a 9-5 job in London and approaching the end of my 20s. I remember feeling very uninspired at work and wanted to come home to Taiwan after spending much of my 20s moving from place to place. I knew I wanted to do something creative but I wasn’t sure exactly what. I had studied literature and communications, which are not directly related to the field of design, but I’ve always been drawn to storytelling, visual and otherwise. We started out as an online shop curating designs from around East Asia, which I naively thought was like putting together a visual story. Looking back, it was definitely a very romanticized way of seeing things but I don’t think I would have gotten anything done without that romantic optimism. Two years in, I was craving for more creative control, so with a growing clientele and some connection in the industry, we expanded the shop by starting our own label.
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| Amande Dress (€104.98) |
What makes your products special?
What we’re doing is slow fashion. More than 80% of our collection is made to measure, and lead-time ranges from 2-4 weeks, depending on the complexity of the design.Without having to stock fabric or samples, it frees up space and time to truly focus on our work, which is making something both the customer and my team would be happy with. We’ve also been direct-to-customer since day 1 so we can do our work at a fairly reasonable price point compared with what you normally see on the high street. We also don’t retire our products after just one season unless we run out of the fabric, so it’s kind of a growing collection of new and old pieces. Some of our best-sellers are from 3 years ago when we first started, and it’s a beautiful thing to see how they have continued to resonate with people.
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| Tencel V-Neck Dress (€125.14) |
Which of the products you have in the store is the most popular with your customer? Why do you think is that?
We have quite a diverse clientele (more than half of our customers are based overseas), so it’s always amazing to see how the very same design speaks differently to different cultures and how certain pieces have evolved and gained traction long after we released it. One of our best sellers across all regions is Desinvolte Dress, a jersey dress that is feminine, flowy, and flattering to most body types. Ultimately, I think people gravitate towards clothes that they can feel comfortable in but still look sleek and stylish.
What influences your work?
This may sound like a cliché, but I do find inspirations everywhere. It could be the new cafe in the neighborhood, the impeccably-dressed old lady on the street, flowers, old furniture, EVERYTHING. My camera roll is basically a puzzling parade of photos. I’d say art, cinema, books, and my travels more directly feed into my work and aesthetic. For instance, in preparation for the new collection, I binge-watched a handful of French New Wave films (notable films by Eric Rohmer) and I became grossly obsessed with the visual details in the films. The leading ladies in his films are usually not household names, but they all seem to possess this very organic unpolished grace despite some of what they wear could look dated nowadays. I was very much drawn to that quality and we started to imagine what they might wear if they were to live in today’s world. We already have some old sewing patterns around, so we started with those and set out to imagine more modernized versions.
How has your business/store evolved over time?
We’ve certainly come a long way from when I first started. We’ve taken MétaFormose to trade shows in Paris and craft fairs in Japan, but honestly, it doesn’t feel that different. Our root remains very much the same. All we want to do is to create and curate beautiful and durable things and hopefully people have a nice time wearing them.
What aspects of your business/store do you enjoy the most/least?
The things I enjoy the most and the least are somewhat inseparable. Managing the day-to-day is really quite stressful. There are always crises and hiccups here and there. That said, five years in, I’m still constantly discovering new things on my job. Despite the long hours, I wouldn’t trade the freedom and the spontaneity for anything in the world.
This may sound like a cliché, but I do find inspirations everywhere. It could be the new cafe in the neighborhood, the impeccably-dressed old lady on the street, flowers, old furniture, EVERYTHING. My camera roll is basically a puzzling parade of photos. I’d say art, cinema, books, and my travels more directly feed into my work and aesthetic. For instance, in preparation for the new collection, I binge-watched a handful of French New Wave films (notable films by Eric Rohmer) and I became grossly obsessed with the visual details in the films. The leading ladies in his films are usually not household names, but they all seem to possess this very organic unpolished grace despite some of what they wear could look dated nowadays. I was very much drawn to that quality and we started to imagine what they might wear if they were to live in today’s world. We already have some old sewing patterns around, so we started with those and set out to imagine more modernized versions.
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| Artist Dress (€113.38) |
How has your business/store evolved over time?
We’ve certainly come a long way from when I first started. We’ve taken MétaFormose to trade shows in Paris and craft fairs in Japan, but honestly, it doesn’t feel that different. Our root remains very much the same. All we want to do is to create and curate beautiful and durable things and hopefully people have a nice time wearing them.
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| Evans Trousers (€109.18) |
What aspects of your business/store do you enjoy the most/least?
The things I enjoy the most and the least are somewhat inseparable. Managing the day-to-day is really quite stressful. There are always crises and hiccups here and there. That said, five years in, I’m still constantly discovering new things on my job. Despite the long hours, I wouldn’t trade the freedom and the spontaneity for anything in the world.
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