20 years ago, following an invitation from a friend, Diego Cortizas and Laura Fontan embarked on a journey to Hanoi—one that would change their lives for good. As avid travelers and art lovers, they immersed themselves in the lives of Vietnamese people and discovered a fascination with local textile. Through magnificent weaves, they saw the city’s rich culture and budding potential for great creativity.
Charmed, the young Spanish couple very quickly made the decision to move to Hanoi and opened their first atelier-boutique named Chula. Now, Diego and Laura’s brainchild is celebrating 20 years of exquisite creations and artful designs, all produced with a fierce commitment to environmental, social and artistic sustainability. The name Chula was chosen for several reasons; in Spanish the word means “something unique and cool,” in Vietnamese it sounds like a stylised local name, and internationally, it can easily be said in different languages .
This idea serves as the core of their designs, always aiming to produce vivid and unique garments that both pay tribute to Vietnamese culture while also carrying its own sense of cosmopolitan. It is said that Chula’s designs can be spotted almost immediately, and perhaps this is partly thanks to their bold colour choices—never pastel, never beige. Primary colours are used most commonly, as with jewel tones and neon, put together, these shocking colours harmoniously blend into a gown too striking to look away.
The other part.
