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- Ever heard of Polycultural Fashion? Meet SAU LEE
Ever heard of Polycultural Fashion? Meet SAU LEE
Devna Shah
June 13, 2025
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Dear Hyphenly readers,
Ten years ago, Cheryl Leung noticed a fashion gap—and like any stylish problem-solver, she filled it.
Enter: SAU LEE, her Hong Kong-based brand known for effortlessly chic dresses that fuse East and West, modern cuts and timeless tradition. Think: Bold maxis, modern cheongsam silhouettes, sparkly bags shaped like fortune cookies.
And most recently? Bridal wear that actually makes you feel like yourself.
Born in California and raised in Hong Kong, Cheryl launched SAU LEE in 2014 to reflect her dual identity—mixing old-school craftsmanship with a fresh design lens.
“When I think of [how to reference] Chinese style, the purpose is really to take inspiration [from] and capture the essence of the craftsmanship, and inject it into contemporary design. I always wanted to be able to represent my heritage.”
You might’ve spotted SAU LEE on actress Lana Condor:
And if this dreamy editorial reminds you of Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love—you’re not alone. The brand’s moody aesthetic and elegant silhouettes make us swoon as we wait for Blossoms Shanghai, the director’s new series coming soon to MUBI.
At Immigrantly, we’ve talked about how important it is to support immigrant-owned fashion brands. Because sometimes, wearing clothes from your home country can be tricky.
It’s not always weather-friendly.
It’s often hard to find your size.
And sometimes, it doesn’t fit the moment—or your sense of self.
That’s where designers like Cheryl come in—blending comfort, culture, and cool in pieces that make you feel like your full self.
Or, if you’re lucky like influencer Uyen Ninh, maybe your sister’s the one who looks out for you (or your German fiancé):
We want to hear from you!
Did you get married in your culture’s traditional clothing? If so, where did you find your outfit? Did you travel back to your home country for tailoring?
Hit reply or DM us @immigrantlypods—we’d love to feature your story!
🎙️ Podcast Pick of the Week
Like hearing about fashion and other wearables? In our latest episode at Sportly, we discuss how hightech wearable gear in sports may lead to more surveillance. To learn more about the risks, listen to our episode here! |
This newsletter was curated by Suhasini Patni.
Hyphenly curates the latest news, art, and businesses from immigrants around the world. Have a tip or story we should feature? We’d love to hear from you.
We’re currently accepting blog pitches and offer a small honorarium—send your pitch to [email protected]
This month, we are particularly looking to feature stories from queer immigrants. We are looking for personal stories that are queer in all senses of the word – whether it’s your coming-out story, a movie that changed your life, how queerness looks in your culture and family, profiles on queer elders you’ve learned from, and more.
Visit us at www.immigrantlypod.com.