Thao Phuong (TEXTILE SEEKERS) - VIETNAM
“I grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and am currently based in Barcelona, Spain. For close to twenty years, I have been working in the fashion industry as a designer. London, New York and Hong Kong are just some of the cities where my work has taken me. Touched by the many facets of the industry, it is the human hands behind the product that speak to me and compel me to look beyond.
A growing dissonance with the industry jolted me into looking deep within myself and seeking introspection. After realising that the fashion and textile industry contributes to many of the world’s environmental and socio-economic issues, I became determined to be a part of the solution, and to strive against the problems created by the unsustainable fashion practices.
A guest panelist for Project Insight, where I explored the concept of Planetary Health, I’m a member of the Southeast Asian Planetary Health Alliance (SEAPHA), and more recently delivered virtual workshops for underprivileged teens on behalf of PacificLinks Foundation. Working extensively with indigenous communities by guiding travellers on my TextileSeekers impact retreats and now as a sustainable design consultant, weaving mindful approaches throughout every thread of the industry’s landscape.”
-Taken from Thao Phuong
“Thao Phuong, the visionary founder of TextileSeekers, brings nearly two decades of experience as a fashion designer. Driven by a passion for craftsmanship and sustainability, she launched TextileSeekers to explore and preserve traditional textile practices beyond her ancestral roots in Vietnam. Inspired by a transformative journey to the hill tribes of Sa Pa, where she witnessed the artistry and fragility of indigenous textile traditions, Thao shifted her focus from fashion to slow craft. Her mission is to build a global movement that celebrates craftsmanship, empowers artisan communities, and redefines the future of ethical artistry.
Through curated sustainable retreats and enduring relationships with tribespeople, TextileSeekers partners with artisans across the globe, giving rise to a community that unites creatives with a genuine source of creation. In doing so, TextileSeekers strives to preserve skills and handicrafts threatened by globalisation, and celebrate cultures deserving of awareness and protection.“
-Taken from Textile Seekers
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