Chinese American Cheryl Leung wanted to blend her cultural heritage with modern styles to create a distinctive runway hit.
While the fashion industry has been dominated by Western aesthetics for years, Cheryl Leung created a clothing brand that focuses on celebrating Chinese heritage in a modern and globally relevant way.
Leung was born in California and raised in Hong Kong, surrounded by China’s culture and tradition. She graduated with a degree in psychology from UCLA in 2011 and took a job as a Studio Floor Manager for Bloomberg and later an executive role at Lane Crawford. Despite her business and finance career path, Leung always had a passion for dressing up and experimenting with fashion , using the women in her life as inspiration for her work.
She frequently noticed that most options on the market were either simple traditional pieces or Western luxury labels, which, at the time, often lacked cultural representation. So Leung launched Sau Lee in 2014, blending Eastern craftsmanship with Western looks. Sau Lee became known for its signature elements like cheongsam silhouettes, mandarin collars, frog buttons, and pipa knots, all offered in bold colors and stylish cuts that are fit for many special occasions.
Over the past decade, Sau Lee has grown past a niche label and developed into a global fashion name with features in major publications like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. The brand has also received recognition amongst celebrities and fashion influencers who have been completely drawn to Leung’s traditional Chinese designs.
With Cheryl Leung acting as the company’s current creative director and CEO, Sau Lee has been able to expand beyond occasion pieces into a more versatile ready-to-wear collection. The company has reported to have reached double-digit millions in annual revenue after seeing a 60% year-over-year growth.
Cheryl Leung plans to continue to grow Sau Lee internationally, proving to the world that Chinese craftsmanship can blend seamlessly with modern fashion.
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