Sarah Lai

Grey Sheep

Location

hong kong / china

Graduation year

2005

Sarah Lai is a Hong Kong-based fashion entrepreneur, founding her eponymous label in 2013. With lineage to Shanghai’s luminous years in the early twentieth century, Sarah is the great granddaughter of Huang Jinrong.1 Raised in a traditional Chinese family, she inherited her maternal grandmother’s exquisite taste and elegance, and her mother’s poise, sense of purpose and determination – qualities which have led her to launch the Sarah Lai line of clothing.

Her fascination with fashion began as a child in her grandmother’s designer wardrobe – the impeccably tailored suits, the colorful fluttery silk dresses, and the anatomically prominent shoulder pads – impressed with an aura of sophistication, femininity, and timeless refinement. Unbeknownst to her until a much later stage, these stunning visual attributes have made a profound impact on the young Sarah and laid the early foundation of the designer’s repertoire.

After graduating from Cornell University in 2005, Sarah embarked upon a career with Morgan Stanley, all the while continuing to immerse herself in the world of fashion. As an aficionado of fine clothing, she struggled to find practical pieces that rekindled her appreciation of the old-world charm and femininity in the contemporary space. Spending a summer at Central St Martins in London, followed by extensive research and sketching, she re-discovered her inner talent and creativity, developing her debut collection that would address this void, forming the foundation of her label.

Born out of her desire to re-imagine the timeless elegance of the bygone era, the Sarah Lai label seeks to intertwine this quaint allure with the freedom and functionality of the modern day women’s wardrobe. Embodied with this design philosophy, the Sarah Lai collection is made specifically for contemporary and sophisticated women with the savoir vivre and cosmopolitan world-view, while embracing a timeless aesthetic of grace and refinement.

“Launching my own clothing brand is like realizing a dream that I never knew I had.”
- Sarah Lai

1 Huang Jinrong was the highest-ranked Chinese detective in the French Concession Police and also one of Shanghai’s most notorious gangsters in the early twentieth century. He was the “comprador of violence” par excellence. ^Brian G. Martin, The Shanghai Green Gang: politics and organized crime, 1919 – 1937 (Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press, 1996)

Latest Collection

Spring Summer 2014 Collection - The Debut

Elegant. Bold. Enchanting.

With a design philosophy of creating timeless pieces with a twist of boldness and enchantment, the Sarah Lai Spring Summer ’14 Collection takes inspiration from her personal style icons – her elegant grandmother and her magnanimous mother, who stay true to their own styles, personalities, and values. Her grandmother brings simplicity to grandeur effortlessly, while her mother gracefully exudes a spirited and gallant composure.

The collection opens with the sharp contrasting colors of black and white, classic yet powerful, featuring Sarah Lai’s favorite silhouette. Special attention is placed on the streamlined tailoring and subtle chinoiserie elements – romantically modern with a sprinkle of Eastern splendor. The dresses are made with a special woven fabric, which is structured and stretchable on all four sides to accentuate a woman’s figure. The Spring Summer colors of cool grey and blush pink are embellished with nude and white rose laces, portraying a sophisticated feminine image with the graceful sensuality of an enchanting garden.

Not only is the collection perfect for the Spring Summer Season, it also features luxurious and timeless pieces that blend into every woman’s wardrobe.