Gaya - Designer Showroom Vietnam - Two to Tango
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Two to Tango
Othello Khanh and Michele de Albert have known each other for two decades. Trung Phan spoke to them about their journey from Paris to Ho Chi Minh City and their two successful joint ventures - Gaya and Cantina Central. Photos by Khoa Tran.
Written by The Word Ho Chi Minh City
Tuesday, 18 November 2008 15:33
Old timers, veterans or just first to spot the opportunity, Othello Khanh and Michele de Albert’s 15 years in Vietnam have been all about renewal. Their latest project, the relocation of Gaya, is another milestone in the journey.
And yet, as with every venture here, while so much has been fruitful, it hasn’t all been plain sailing.
“We first met in Paris during the late 1980s,” recalls Michele de Albert. “Othello was involved with filmmaking and I worked in production design.”
The move from France to Vietnam first began in 1994 when Michele came to “discover new opportunities”. Othello followed suit the next year after wrapping up a documentary in Mexico. The talented duo found their own respective niches in Vietnam and continued to support each other before finally rejoining efforts in 2006. Today, along with a handful of other partners, Othello and Michele offer one of Ho Chi Minh City’s trendiest furniture stores and the town’s only authentic Mexican eatery.
The Highest Form of Flattery
When Michele arrived, the developing city we know today was in its incubation period. Cars were scarce, cyclos were aplenty and western-style stores did not exist.
“All the shopping streets that we know today like Dong Du, Dong Khoi and Nguyen Trai were occupied with endless stalls. Celadon Green was the first western-style shop in Saigon,” Michele says of the ceramic tableware store the she opened on Dong Du in 1994.
With Dong Khoi yet to transform itself into the über trendy, ultra expensive shopping haven it now is, when the opportunity to rent two lots on this street came up, Michele was quick to take advantage.
“I decided to open new shops,” she explains. “Precious Home sold lacquerware and followed a similar concept to Celadon Green, while Precious Ladies dealt in jewellery and accessories.”
As with any form of success in Vietnam, her three shops soon became the targets of imitation. According to Michele, the landlords took back the properties, only to sell identical products under a new name.
Ton That Thiep
Michele relocated Celadon Green in 2003 to the corner of Ton That Thiep and Pasteur. Besides Fanny Ice Cream and Temple Club, the street was still unknown, especially in regards to shopping. The opportunity to develop the street presented itself and the results today are indisputable: Ton That Thiep is one of the city’s trendiest destinations.
“There is no question that it was Michele’s effort to actively market Ton That Thiep that has turned it into such an attractive shopping area,” says Othello.
Othello and Michele soon renewed their business partnership. In 2006 they worked together on the film Saigon Eclipse, which he directed and produced while Michele did most of the production design.
“Michele was always into a number of trades from ceramics to homeware to jewellery,” Othello explains about the origin of Gaya. “So she suggested the creation of a showroom which could sell a number of different products by different designers.”
Michele provided the homeware, Lawson Johnston and Quasar Khanh added their furniture and Romyda Keth brought in her women’s clothing line. The formula worked and the space was quick to blossom.
At the same time, the two started to look at ways to develop Celadon Green. More imitation shops had opened up close by and they were hesitant to give up the property. For Othello, the solution was easy.
“I missed my tacos,” he says. “Winston Barrie, one of our friends, would often throw Mexican parties at home. So why not make a venue where I could get my fix of Mexican cuisine and host parties, not to mention the margaritas?”
Enter Cantina Central. Winston joined as a third partner, Arache Sahrai the manager of Gaya came in as number four, and Vietnam’s first authentic taco shop was born
“Actually, I pushed for Cantina Central so I wouldn’t have to spend half the day chopping onions at our parties,” laughs Othello.
New and Improved
The location of the new Gaya is located on Le Lai, parallel to the shopping street Nguyen Trai. Michele and Lawson Johnson wanted to expand Gaya and fell in love with the architecture of the Le Lai building. They rented it, renovated the 1974-built premises and moved the operations from Ton That Thiep. Othello was invited to join the venture and embraced the opportunity.
“A famous Vietnamese architect designed the building in the 1970s with a great view of the park across the way,” Michele says of the four-storied complex. “The concept remains the same with that of the previous retail space, with home décor, tiling, furniture and ladies wear all on offer. The showroom inside is just as eye-catching as the building itself, which you cannot miss driving down Le Lai.”
One of the unique features of Gaya is that all wares are made and designed locally using local products. The only foreign influence comes in the design.
“We keep all production in Ho Chi Minh City so there is complete quality control on the products,” explains Michele. “This also gives us an opportunity to communicate directly with our workers, who I consider to be artisans in their own right.”
Michele and Othello hope that the quality and flare of the new Gaya will “slowly bring more business and buyers to develop this neighborhood.” It’s been done once, so why not again? It’s a challenge which they look forward to.
http://www.wordhcmc.com/insider/160-general/81-two-to-tango
Contact us
For all export,
wholesale or,
other inquiries,
please contact:
Ms. Dror Lam
General Manager
1 Nguyen Van Trang Str, Dist.1
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +848 3925 .1495
Fax: +848 3925 .1496
info@gayavietnam.com
http://www.gayavietnam.com/
Othello Khanh and Michele de Albert have known each other for two decades. Trung Phan spoke to them about their journey from Paris to Ho Chi Minh City and their two successful joint ventures - Gaya and Cantina Central. Photos by Khoa Tran.
Written by The Word Ho Chi Minh City
Tuesday, 18 November 2008 15:33
Old timers, veterans or just first to spot the opportunity, Othello Khanh and Michele de Albert’s 15 years in Vietnam have been all about renewal. Their latest project, the relocation of Gaya, is another milestone in the journey.
And yet, as with every venture here, while so much has been fruitful, it hasn’t all been plain sailing.
“We first met in Paris during the late 1980s,” recalls Michele de Albert. “Othello was involved with filmmaking and I worked in production design.”
The move from France to Vietnam first began in 1994 when Michele came to “discover new opportunities”. Othello followed suit the next year after wrapping up a documentary in Mexico. The talented duo found their own respective niches in Vietnam and continued to support each other before finally rejoining efforts in 2006. Today, along with a handful of other partners, Othello and Michele offer one of Ho Chi Minh City’s trendiest furniture stores and the town’s only authentic Mexican eatery.
The Highest Form of Flattery
When Michele arrived, the developing city we know today was in its incubation period. Cars were scarce, cyclos were aplenty and western-style stores did not exist.
“All the shopping streets that we know today like Dong Du, Dong Khoi and Nguyen Trai were occupied with endless stalls. Celadon Green was the first western-style shop in Saigon,” Michele says of the ceramic tableware store the she opened on Dong Du in 1994.
With Dong Khoi yet to transform itself into the über trendy, ultra expensive shopping haven it now is, when the opportunity to rent two lots on this street came up, Michele was quick to take advantage.
“I decided to open new shops,” she explains. “Precious Home sold lacquerware and followed a similar concept to Celadon Green, while Precious Ladies dealt in jewellery and accessories.”
As with any form of success in Vietnam, her three shops soon became the targets of imitation. According to Michele, the landlords took back the properties, only to sell identical products under a new name.
Ton That Thiep
Michele relocated Celadon Green in 2003 to the corner of Ton That Thiep and Pasteur. Besides Fanny Ice Cream and Temple Club, the street was still unknown, especially in regards to shopping. The opportunity to develop the street presented itself and the results today are indisputable: Ton That Thiep is one of the city’s trendiest destinations.
“There is no question that it was Michele’s effort to actively market Ton That Thiep that has turned it into such an attractive shopping area,” says Othello.
Othello and Michele soon renewed their business partnership. In 2006 they worked together on the film Saigon Eclipse, which he directed and produced while Michele did most of the production design.
“Michele was always into a number of trades from ceramics to homeware to jewellery,” Othello explains about the origin of Gaya. “So she suggested the creation of a showroom which could sell a number of different products by different designers.”
Michele provided the homeware, Lawson Johnston and Quasar Khanh added their furniture and Romyda Keth brought in her women’s clothing line. The formula worked and the space was quick to blossom.
At the same time, the two started to look at ways to develop Celadon Green. More imitation shops had opened up close by and they were hesitant to give up the property. For Othello, the solution was easy.
“I missed my tacos,” he says. “Winston Barrie, one of our friends, would often throw Mexican parties at home. So why not make a venue where I could get my fix of Mexican cuisine and host parties, not to mention the margaritas?”
Enter Cantina Central. Winston joined as a third partner, Arache Sahrai the manager of Gaya came in as number four, and Vietnam’s first authentic taco shop was born
“Actually, I pushed for Cantina Central so I wouldn’t have to spend half the day chopping onions at our parties,” laughs Othello.
New and Improved
The location of the new Gaya is located on Le Lai, parallel to the shopping street Nguyen Trai. Michele and Lawson Johnson wanted to expand Gaya and fell in love with the architecture of the Le Lai building. They rented it, renovated the 1974-built premises and moved the operations from Ton That Thiep. Othello was invited to join the venture and embraced the opportunity.
“A famous Vietnamese architect designed the building in the 1970s with a great view of the park across the way,” Michele says of the four-storied complex. “The concept remains the same with that of the previous retail space, with home décor, tiling, furniture and ladies wear all on offer. The showroom inside is just as eye-catching as the building itself, which you cannot miss driving down Le Lai.”
One of the unique features of Gaya is that all wares are made and designed locally using local products. The only foreign influence comes in the design.
“We keep all production in Ho Chi Minh City so there is complete quality control on the products,” explains Michele. “This also gives us an opportunity to communicate directly with our workers, who I consider to be artisans in their own right.”
Michele and Othello hope that the quality and flare of the new Gaya will “slowly bring more business and buyers to develop this neighborhood.” It’s been done once, so why not again? It’s a challenge which they look forward to.
http://www.wordhcmc.com/insider/160-general/81-two-to-tango
Contact us
For all export,
wholesale or,
other inquiries,
please contact:
Ms. Dror Lam
General Manager
1 Nguyen Van Trang Str, Dist.1
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +848 3925 .1495
Fax: +848 3925 .1496
info@gayavietnam.com
http://www.gayavietnam.com/
