Community, Cocktails, Karaoke! Inside the AAPIDA Gala in LA

"“This my first time wearing an áo dài, what do you think?” asked Will Nguyen, founder of LA design gallery Collective Form, as he showed off his traditional gold silk Vietnamese formalwear to designers Eric Chang, Claudette McCarron, James Fung, and Noz Nozawa. “I ordered it three days from a tailor in Vietnam and it just arrived!”"

"Founded five years ago by designers Jessica Davis and Young Huh, AAPIDA, as the national nonprofit organization is known, is dedicated to engaging and promoting Asian Americans working across the home and design industries. The group has sponsored workshops, tours, educational seminars, and mentorship programs, but this was its first gala. “We needed a reason to gather and see each others' faces in one room,” said AD100 designer Huh."

"The Shohei Shigematsu-designed venue in Koreatown drew guests from across the industry, including AD100 talents Jamie Bush and Leo Marmol, Queer Eye star Bobby Berk, designer Mikel Welch, and Mind Your Manners star Sarah Jane Ho. Emceed by comedian Dylan Adler, the evening had the feeling of a far-flung family reunion, with guests flying in from New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Seattle, Texas and Hawaii."

"The program featured several award presentations: Master artisan and designer Robert Kuo, known for his reinterpretation of Chinese decorative traditions, received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Two Student"

Will Nguyen wore traditional Vietnamese formalwear and shared that he ordered it from a tailor in Vietnam shortly before the event. AAPIDA, a national nonprofit founded five years earlier, focuses on engaging and promoting Asian Americans working in home and design industries. The inaugural gala brought together more than 300 guests, including designers, architects, and industry members, at the Audrey Irmas Pavilion in Los Angeles. The Shohei Shigematsu-designed venue in Koreatown attracted attendees from across the country. The evening included emceeing by Dylan Adler, a family-reunion atmosphere, and multiple award presentations, including a Lifetime Achievement Award for Robert Kuo and student awards for emerging talent.

Read at Architectural Digest