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| Eric Raisina, whose work is heavily inspired by Cambodia's ancient culture and crafts |
From Angelina Jolie's jewellers to Cambodia's most exciting haute couture designer, the best boutiques and artisans in Siem Reap
The Telegraph | 20 February 2017
In Cambodia’s Siem Reap - home to Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious complex
- there is a new wave of skilled artisans who are combining modern
design with Khmer traditions and materials. A shopping tour of their
ateliers and workshops provides a fresh take on Cambodian craftsmanship
beyond the antique carvings of the temples.
Eric Raisina
Haute Couture
The king of Khmer couture, internationally acclaimed fashion designer Eric Raisina
has been the toast of Cambodia’s temple town since he opened his
original haute couture outlet close to Siem Reap’s royal residence in
2005. The consistently high quality of his work has contributed towards
the transformation of the town from a service stop for Angkor Wat to a
fashionable destination in its own right.
The designer was inspired to set up shop in Siem Reap after a visit
in 1996 to Angkor Wat introduced him to local silk weavers who used
techniques “as old as the temples”. Today his team of 40 is entirely
local and his designs draw heavily from temple architecture and
Cambodia’s tropical trees and plants.
Customers
interested in learning more about his work can observe his team in
action at his atelier: “When you see my ladies crochtecting it helps you
understand the nature of couture”. In a new initiative the Park Hyatt Siem Reap hotel
is also offering visits to Eric’s atelier as part of its Haute Couture
tours package. The hotel will also stage a Eric Raisina fashion show
later this year.
75-81 Charles de Gaulle Avenue; +855 63963207; and FCC Angkor, Pokambor Ave; +855 63963208
Park Hyatt Siem Reap half-day Haute Couture Tour includes a visit to Eric Raisina's premises and costs $182 for two people; see siemreap.park.hyatt.com or telegraph +855 6321 1234 for more details.
Ammo
Contemporary Jewellery
Managed by British-born jeweller Madeline Green, Ammo
sells fine jewellery made from recycled brass ammunition. The symbolism
of making beautiful trinkets from neutralised bullets resonates with
anyone familiar with Cambodia’s trouble past. The stunt crew from
Angelina Jolie’s new film on the Cambodian conflict First They Shot my Father
commissioned 10 pendants from Madeline. And to thank the Hollywood star
for her work Ammo made Angelina an intricate brass hair pin made from
bullets.
But Ammo is also keen to look to the future and has recently launched a Temple range of jewellery, drawing inspiration from the plans of Angkor Wat. It also provides apprenticeships to young Cambodians who train in their workshop in central Siem Reap. Clients are encouraged to visit the studio to see the jewellers in action, buy from the collections and even have a lesson in making bullet jewellery for themselves.
120 Wat Bo Road; +855 96 678 87 31; craftsiemreap.com
Siri Van
Fashion
The most interesting new artisan district in Siem Reap is in the
quiet city-centre enclave of Kandal Village. Barely more than a main
street of French colonial buildings it features a range of upscale
interior design shops, art galleries, coffee shops and the odd spa.
Right in the middle of the main Hap Guan Street is Sirivan Chak
Dumas’ fashion boutique Siri Van.
Within the jasmine-scented shop she displays a tasteful collection of
accessories, home decor and her own menswear and womenswear collection.
Stripped-down, elegant tailoring and quality fabrics are her signature
style. Upstairs is her workshop that creates everything from her smart
linen shorts to a range of hand-tailored beanie hats.
10 Hap Guan St; +855 17731 107
Eric and Thierry Stocker
Natural lacquerware
The tradition of extracting sap from lacquer trees was dying out in
Cambodia until French craftsman Eric Stocker and his brother Thierry
helped to revive it. They needed the dark, smoky sap to build up the
many layers of their highly polished lacquer artefacts. The duo has
improved on the traditional technique and passed on their knowledge to
teams of local apprentices. The skill level in the original workshop is extremely high - the eggshell-coated Buddhas produced by deaf craftsmen are a wonder to behold.
Currently the brothers are busy producing a range of lacquer and
gilding commissions for design houses and private collections all around
the world. They welcome visitors to their open workshop and verdant
garden 10 minutes from the centre of Siem Reap. A range of original
pieces are for sale at the on-site boutique, including new textured
boxes in parchment and stingray skin. Stunning artistry.
498 Sala Komroeuk Road; +855 (0) 12 327 680
Onyx
Tailored linen fashion
NoteKo is a Thai-born fashion designer who set up her stylish shop Onyx
within the narrow passages of the Old Market in central Siem Reap. Her
carefully chosen collection of homeware, jewellery and linen clothing
caught the attention of the new luxury resort Phum Baitang
- a country hotel composed of individual villas, all laid out to
resemble a traditional Cambodian village complete with rice fields. The
hotel, a favourite of Angelina Jolie, asked NoteKo to stock their
boutique and the result is a resort retail space that feels like a cross
between a curated exhibition and a fashion salon.
Brad Pitt
purchased one of Noteko’s made-to-measure linen shirts during his visit
to the hotel and her tailored dressing gowns are popular with female
guests. All her linen clothing is made in a small workshop above her
market shop where clients come for alterations and to say hello to her
talented tailors .
Boutique and workshop, Onyx , The Passage , Old Market; +855 63 7992
Artisan Lunetier
Handmade eyewear and sunglasses
After his apprenticeship in Paris, Jacques Danger set up his own
workshop making bespoke eyewear for the Parisian elite. Now settled in
Cambodia, at his Artisan Lunetier
he is offering a a new range of glasses and sunglasses made with
natural black buffalo horn and specialist material such as diamond,
snakeskin and sharkskin. The easy access to raw materials is the main
draw of his new Asian home. The buffalo horn is lightweight and the
grain makes each pair of glasses unique.
To
understand his craft you can take a trip to his tiny workshop beyond the
main market on the outskirts Siem Reap. Or if you require a more
traditional shopping experience he works closely with a Cambodian
optician Nony Huor who is based in the aforementioned Kandal Village.
Just beyond Psar Leu Market on the main National Highway 6
- phone for directions; +855 096 673 9728; or visit Eye See, 626 Hap
Guan St, Kandal Village
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