How Hong Kong apparel brand Sau Lee appeals to the American fashion lover

Founded in 2014 by Hong Kong designer Cheryl Leung, rising it-girl apparel brand Sau Lee was established to create something different for the fashion market – a global Chinese fashion brand that honours heritage while embracing change.

In her designs, Leung takes classic Chinese styles, like the cheongsam, a long, one-piece dress that features a high collar, side slits and diagonal fastening, and gives them a modern twist with elements like a cheetah print pattern or using non-traditional, for a cheongsam, materials such as lace and velvet. 

Over the past decade, Leung’s designs, which range from cocktail dresses to bridalwear, have increasingly become popular with American fashion aficionados and it-girls. Several Sau Lee pieces have been worn by public figures like the Formula 1 WAG Alexandra Saint Mleux and model Ming Lee Simmons, while pieces are now stocked at Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom and Revolve. 

Inside Retail sat down with Maximilian Wang, Sau Lee’s marketing director, to discuss the brand’s growth in the US and how it goes beyond the “East-meets-West” marketing trope to embrace its modern, multicultural audience. 

How Sau Lee moves beyond the “East-meets-West” archetype

At the time the interview with Wang was conducted, Lunar New Year festivities were just beginning in New York City, with consumers and retailers alike celebrating the time-honoured occasion through traditional and more modern activities.  

“When it comes to Lunar New Year, it’s become such a great occasion that worldwide, everybody is learning how to appreciate it and make it their own,” Wang told Inside Retail.  

“The essence of Lunar New Year is all about gathering and togetherness, being grateful and setting intentions for the year ahead. Asking yourself, what have you learned and how will you use your learnings to move forward, bring prosperity into your life with what you’re trying to achieve, which, for us, is very much a part of what the brand is about.”

He explained that Sau Lee is all about taking on techniques, like embroidery, learned over hundreds of years of Chinese craftsmanship, and traditional materials, like brocade, and infusing them with contemporary trends and styles to create a style that connects across cultures. 

“For us, it’s not even about being a Chinese brand; it’s all about culture. We never like to use the term ‘East Meets West’, because East has already met West. We live in a very intercultural, integrated society, and we want to be the representation of what that looks like.”

In addition to incorporating Western styles with more traditional East Asian influences, Sau Lee is connecting with consumers through sizing and pricing. 

The brand’s sizes range from a double zero to a 14, a rarity even for some brands born and bred in the US market. 

Price-wise, Sau Lee falls into the more accessible end of the luxury spectrum, from a $228 knit cheongsam top to $700-plus gowns and bridalwear, a very intentional choice on the founder’s part.

“That’s actually sort of the origin of how it happened,” Wang recalled.

Leung wanted to design beautiful pieces that were more approachable than what other heritage fashion houses offered for formal occasions, yet more thoughtful and of higher quality than what fast-fashion brands could provide. 

Wang explained that the designer wanted to create pieces for women who were not afraid to be seen or to celebrate a moment, whether in a cheetah-print mini-dress or a more elegantly embellished bridal gown. 

“For the everyday woman, why can’t there be a midpoint there [price-wise]? That’s what guides a lot of our attractive price points and why a lot of the retailers, like Bloomingdale’s, love our brand.”

Building a brand on authenticity 

Prior to joining Sau Lee as its marketing director, overseeing the brand’s global image, customer experience and thriving DTC presence, Maximilian Wang cultivated a breadth of expertise in brand strategy, integrated marketing communications and digital transformation through senior in-house roles and advisory work, working with leading names like Nike, L’Oréal, Sephora and Marriott Bonvoy.

When inquired about the switch from consulting for brands with a longer legacy to a relatively fresh fashion house, Wang responded that he was drawn to both Sau Lee’s founder and the authenticity that she and her brand presented. 

Having known Leung beforehand, Wang explained that he was drawn to and inspired by the designer’s passion for designing for the empowered, fashion-loving woman and for representing contemporary Chinese culture through fashion. 

“She’s had this brand for over 10 years, which has experienced a slow and steady journey of meaningful and sustainable growth. I was drawn to it because I worked with other brands with a longer history, where it felt like the company had gotten disconnected from the customer, and the brand’s mission no longer resonated.

“While I was consulting and helping these brands, I really wanted to pick one and focus on it. With Cheryl [Leung], I wholeheartedly believe in the vision that she’s doing [with Sau Lee], I’m the person who’s behind the scenes [helping grow the brand’s presence].”

What’s next in store for Sau Lee

The brand disclosed that over the past year, Sau Lee has experienced over 60 per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth, reaching revenue in the double-digit millions. This growth was largely fueled by the brand’s e-commerce presence, which has grown by over 100 per cent YoY. 

In addition to continuing to build the brand’s thriving digital presence, Wang stated that there will be a greater focus on expanding the physical retail presence over the next few years.

The brand has already done a few pop-up activations in North America, including its most recent curation with the Canadian premium department store chain Holt Renfrew that took place this winter. 

In March, Sau Lee is hosting a short-term pop-up activation at the iconic Bloomingdale’s flagship store, located at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue in New York City. 

Wang explained that these in-person experiences help introduce consumers to Sau Lee’s DNA and give them a better sense of how the brand may fit into their wardrobes for various occasions. 

“From a shopping experience point of view, in-person is often where it’s most impactful. When you can touch the fabrics, see the quality and check out how it fits, there’s an emotional aspect that’s reached with these pop-ups.”

While there are no concrete plans for a permanent brick-and-mortar location in the US, Wang hinted that that is the path the brand is moving towards.

Further reading: How Korean-American fine jewellery brand Kinn is turning into a modern heritage house

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