Nary Manivong ventures into interior design with the Laos Embassy
Designer Nary Manivong's latest project is an interior project, both personal and professional.
Manivong, whose parents moved from Laos to the United States in the early 80s, was responsible for managing the decoration and redesign of the rooms of the UN mission in Laos. The mission is important to Manivong, who, along with his twin brother, was born in Ohio in 1982, months after his parents immigrated from Laos through the sponsorship of a religious group.
In an interview on Thursday, he explained that his parents decided to leave Laos because of the fallout of the Second The Indochina War, commonly referred to as the "Secret War in Laos", because it took place at the same time as the Vietnam War. “Laos is known as the most bombed [neutral] country in the world per capita, [since the United States dropped 4 billion bombs between 1964 and 1973],” he said, noting that children dailies still mistake the ball-shaped cluster bombs that failed to explode on impact decades ago as toys, only to detonate them in their hands.
Related GalleriesHe and other members of the Lao community in New York discussed the project with the Lao People's Democratic Republic Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith and the country's Ambassador to the United Nations Anouparb Vongnorkeo last month in Long Island City, New York. Sarana Development founder Kasey Chaleunsouk, who is also of Lao descent, was also present and involved the designer in what is known as the United Nations Mission Laos Renovation Project. The name of his company refers to a Sanskrit word meaning "refuge" or "shelter".
Manivong will redevelop five rooms at the Lao Embassy on East 51st Street. Interiors are new territory for the New York-based creative, who delves deeper into interior design with NM Bahn, a collection of pillows, towels and throws to be offered direct-to-consumer and through select retail partnerships in the spring. . Manivong noted how the line's name pays homage to the Lao language, as "bahn" means "house".
Although he also designs curtains for the Laos Embassy in Midtown, this category will only be not offered in the residential line sold to consumers. "It's more specialized and complex, and requires more work and labor [than other types of home decor]. We use rich silks for embassy curtains. It would be too expensive to develop and to make [for consumers],” Manivong said.
In addition to this project, Manivong has focused on rebuilding its sportswear line signature, as many of the factories and sample rooms he previously worked with closed during the pandemic. His new collection will be presented in the coming months, he said.
He also sold custom parts and did art direction and styling for Edn Tech, a d-to-c company specializing in indoor gardens. The designer plans to continue spending more time with weavers in Laos to develop textiles in the coming months, installing the looms that will make the textiles and working with community artisans there.
Designer Nary Manivong's latest project is an interior project, both personal and professional.
Manivong, whose parents moved from Laos to the United States in the early 80s, was responsible for managing the decoration and redesign of the rooms of the UN mission in Laos. The mission is important to Manivong, who, along with his twin brother, was born in Ohio in 1982, months after his parents immigrated from Laos through the sponsorship of a religious group.
In an interview on Thursday, he explained that his parents decided to leave Laos because of the fallout of the Second The Indochina War, commonly referred to as the "Secret War in Laos", because it took place at the same time as the Vietnam War. “Laos is known as the most bombed [neutral] country in the world per capita, [since the United States dropped 4 billion bombs between 1964 and 1973],” he said, noting that children dailies still mistake the ball-shaped cluster bombs that failed to explode on impact decades ago as toys, only to detonate them in their hands.
Related GalleriesHe and other members of the Lao community in New York discussed the project with the Lao People's Democratic Republic Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith and the country's Ambassador to the United Nations Anouparb Vongnorkeo last month in Long Island City, New York. Sarana Development founder Kasey Chaleunsouk, who is also of Lao descent, was also present and involved the designer in what is known as the United Nations Mission Laos Renovation Project. The name of his company refers to a Sanskrit word meaning "refuge" or "shelter".
Manivong will redevelop five rooms at the Lao Embassy on East 51st Street. Interiors are new territory for the New York-based creative, who delves deeper into interior design with NM Bahn, a collection of pillows, towels and throws to be offered direct-to-consumer and through select retail partnerships in the spring. . Manivong noted how the line's name pays homage to the Lao language, as "bahn" means "house".
Although he also designs curtains for the Laos Embassy in Midtown, this category will only be not offered in the residential line sold to consumers. "It's more specialized and complex, and requires more work and labor [than other types of home decor]. We use rich silks for embassy curtains. It would be too expensive to develop and to make [for consumers],” Manivong said.
In addition to this project, Manivong has focused on rebuilding its sportswear line signature, as many of the factories and sample rooms he previously worked with closed during the pandemic. His new collection will be presented in the coming months, he said.
He also sold custom parts and did art direction and styling for Edn Tech, a d-to-c company specializing in indoor gardens. The designer plans to continue spending more time with weavers in Laos to develop textiles in the coming months, installing the looms that will make the textiles and working with community artisans there.
What's Your Reaction?
