L’Indochine defines modern Asian with curated finds

MANILA, Philippines - Richly colored fashion and home accessories from the hill tribes of Chiang Mai. Hand-painted Benjarong boxes and bowls from Thailand. Khmer silver décor pieces from Cambodia. Modern lacquer ware from Vietnam. Brass bowls from Myanmar.

These are some of the exotic one-of-a- kind pieces that await the adventurous shopper when L’Indochine opens its first lifestyle retail store at SM Aura on May 17.

Hand-dyed batik pants from Thailand

Everything in the 94-square-meter store is part of a broad range of expertly curated, exquisite and high-quality home accessories and gifts for consumers who want to create a personalized home environment. It is filled with fashion  and home items that have a distinct modern Asian style, marrying traditional techniques with modern twists.

 Originating primarily from Indochina countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar mixed with unique ethnic items from Thailand, the items in the store are sourced directly from local artisans and craftsmen — the hill tribes of Chiang Mai, artisans in the Mekong delta, weavers in Hanoi, craft villages in Vietnam.

Many of these items are handmade, making them one-of-a-kind and limited in quantity. Created by skilled craftsmen trained in techniques passed on from generations, these special pieces can each take anywhere from a week to a hundred days to produce. Each visit to the store is an opportunity for the customer to unearth a new and exciting find.

Upon entering L’Indochine, shoppers will be greeted with an exotic and well -edited store whose wares were specifically chosen for their form, uniqueness and beauty.  Merchandise will be a feast for the eyes as products are artistically displayed.  Soulful, acoustic ethnic music and the store’s signature scent wafting through diffusers will enhance the shopper’s sense of adventure.

Being a lifestyle store, L’Indochine will showcase fresh takes on styling for both home and fashion.  Tables will be set-up in different vignettes mixing all sorts of merchandise, in various colors, textures and heights.  Home and fashion accessories will be arranged together — with mismatch prints and patterns, pairing neutrals with brights, juxtaposing soft with hard.  Each tables and display will tell a story — be it a nod to the history and origin of a product or a current trend in either home décor or fashion.

L’Indochine is located at the third floor of SM Aura at The Fort.

On the L’Indochine road with Char Carlos and Leona Panutat

What do classic prep Char Carlos and eclectic bohemian Leona Panutat have in common? A love for all things beautiful.  They’ve taken the road less travelled, crossed the Mekong river, visited the looms of Hanoi, trekked the dirt roads of Chiang Mai and searched craft villages for the most exotic, interesting and one-of-a-kind pieces to bring home.

These two women pride themselves in being able to offer these unique pieces handcrafted by artisans.

“Ours is a continuous journey to search for the rare and extraordinary,” the two sisters-in-law say.

Char is the hostess with the mostest whose tablescapes are legendary. She’s a globe-trotting maven who believes in immersing oneself in whatever locale she finds herself in. She is a shopping warrior who can literally spend hours searching for just the right piece. She likes to pepper her home with her exotic finds and trinkets. It is no secret that out of town guests frequently request to stay in her gorgeous abode which she believes should always be filled with art, love and laughter.  She is a tennis addict and a monogram nut.

Leona is everyone’s favorite shopping partner for a number reasons: her discerning eye for style, her knack for finding gems in the most unlikely places and her ability to put together colors textures and patterns. She is a lover of all things DIY— if she can’t find it, she’ll make it, and a staunch supporter of handmade products. Her home is a mix of high and low, an eclectic dwelling that marries the works of up-and coming artists with family heirlooms. She believes in using beautiful pieces for everyday living. Family always comes first.