Interview with Douangmany Heuangkhamsene

Her Works is a social enterprise manufacturing ethnic-minority-designed contemporary products. The key to all Her Works products is that the materials are handmade by the minority ethic groups from various location in Laos. The materials can be made by hand-weaving, embroidering with natural coloring.
Her Works was formed with a mission to conserve, promote and broadcast the unique artistic textile designs of the ethnic minority groups. This helps in preserving the fading culture and also provides another platform for the minority people to equip themselves with a skill set that could enhance their living standards as well as their communities.

To me, designing is the ability to present and communicate works in your own way.

Product Design especially bags.

Mangmee,the design that brought me 3 awards is my favorite design. I spent one year to develop this design and it was also very hard to find the right material and the Iumien or Yao ethnic artisans to hand stitch the pattern. The stories behind this bag also made it become my master piece.

Natural fiber and natural color dyed

When I woke up at night, and I could not get back to sleep, then ideas would start to flow into my mind.

Mood board to make sure that I won’t go off-track

When people understand and value our design

Story behind a design

Nowadays, designers should consider first the environmental impacts that your design would bring about. Good designs should at least not cause any negative social and environmental effects. It would be even better if your designs could create a good cause.

I think design has already evolved so far that many of designs in the past have brought many negative impacts to our environment. The challenge now is that how we could use our design to make our world an environmentally better place to live.

February 2019, in Tokyo Big Sight. October 2019 in Laos.

Most of my inspiration come from Lao traditional ethnic arts. In Laos, my country, we have a very diverse culture with 50 different ethnic groups. Each group, dress and speak differently and have a very unique art and pattern. Studying about these ethnic art has always been my passion and inspiration to my works

Folks + Japanese minimal. Lao folks are very diverse and colorful. However, I love natural color and the minimalism influenced from Japanese culture, so I try to balance it to my works.

Laos. the cultural heritage of Laos has definitely affected my designs. the benefit of it is that it has influenced my design to be unique, and the making process of my products are the culture that has already fading. Thus, to protect our cultural heritage and the technique is always our company's mission.

Should give designers their most comfortable way of work. It depends on style, choose the style of the designer that you like. don't choose just because they are good designers.

First - come up with concept
- check global trends and color
- come up with mood board
- design products

Vintage wood shelves, vintage colonial windows, vintage ethnic headbands for wall decoration, vintage rattan basket, vintage ethnic silver jewelries

My responsibilities are varied. Everyday has different to do list. Mostly, I would plan projects and what to do for the company, then pass the works to whom it may concern. Visiting rural villages, and work with the community to design pattern and craft fabrics, then me and my team will have to come up with product design.

Try to be yourself. your design should represent yourself and characteristic. When people see your design they should feel you that would make your design successful.

Negative:
It is difficult when you have to come up with new design that should make people "WOW" more than your old works.
Some people might not agree or appreciate your works.
Positives
the ability to express your thought and passion through your works

My design should always include Lao ethnic culture and patterns.

Clearly understanding what you want to communicate through your design.

traveling and spending time with ethnic people in the rural areas is my tools. because most of my design are to present the traditional art and culture, so learning about them is very important and to make sure that i could present it correctly. Moreover, I could also check that if my idea is possible to create because they are the one who would craft the fabric.

I don't like forcing myself to come up with a design. Good design will come unconsciously, then I will note it down and develop the idea.

about 2 weeks

What is my inspiration?

2 times unsuccessful in running restaurants. The failure has taught me a lot, and I try not to make the same mistakes.

Tourists and expats in Laos

Design my own product that I love and I would use it myself because I don't need to care that other would like it or not. If other people value it then it would be a bonus.

Designing and running a fashion show

I mostly work as a team. I mostly come up with concept and then pass the works to my team to continue and I will check with them.

I am now working on designing a collection of ready to wear cloths and bags using OMA ethnic pattern, an unseen minority ethnic group only in Laos with population less than 0.1% in Laos.

herworks.lao@gmail.com
What saap: +856 20 58883388
www.herworks.la