Hannah Cowie - Tamay & Me

Tamay has been creating intricately embroidered clothes her entire life, a core aspect of her Mien culture. Twelve years ago, she passed down the Mien embroidery techniques to Hannah, just as her mother had taught her, and as she had taught her own daughter. Together, Tamay and Hannah worked on a single embroidery piece for three months before founding Tamay & Me in 2014, a Vietnam-based clothing company. Their mission is to raise awareness of Mien textile skills, help women earn sustainable livelihoods, and preserve their cultural heritage. By offering flexible embroidery work that fits around daily life, Tamay and Hannah aim to keep these traditions alive and pass them to future generations, instilling a sense of pride and providing meaningful choices.

Environmental impact is central to the creation of their embroidered jackets. All materials, particularly cotton and indigo, are homegrown without pesticides in a village in North Vietnam. The entire process, from cultivating the cotton to creating the cloth, takes two years. The fabric is then dyed twelve times with natural indigo, resulting in rich blue jackets and clothing. The intricate embroidery on these pieces portrays scenes of village life: rice paddies, children, families, trees, plants, and symbols of fertility.

Find out more and follow Tamay & Me:
tamayandme.com

@tamayandme