Amy Nguyen

Wearable Art

Amy Nguyen, Artisan Coat. Hand-dyed itajime shibori linen, overdyed, folded, stitched, pieced. ©2021 Amy Nguyen Textiles. Courtesy of the artist.

Amy Nguyen, who studied under master textile artist Yoshiko Wada, draws upon ancient Japanese textile arts like shibori – and a lifelong interest in dance and yoga – to create textiles with beauty, movement and flow.

Striving for minimal environmental impact, she uses only natural, renewable fibers; consciously sources dyes; relies on wind power; conserves water with low-water immersion dyeing; and uses every scrap of fabric to avoid waste. She adds couture details: “The back or inside of each piece is as important as … the outside.” Her carefully constructed garments acquire “patina” as they age, signifying they have “been loved over time.”