Emerging Independent
Kilomet 109
Kilomet 109 is a Hanoi slow-fashion studio launched in 2012 by Thao Vu after a magazine career and a return to fashion school. Working with rotating teams of 40 to 45 Nung An, Hmong, Tai and Khmer artisans across northern Vietnam and the Mekong delta, the brand grows and weaves its own hemp and cotton, dyes with indigo and other plant-based pigments, and finishes pieces using beeswax printing, hand quilting and embroidery. The resulting silhouettes are quietly contemporary while staying rooted in ancient craft, and the Tay Ho flagship has become a destination for sustainable-fashion press from Vogue to Hive Life.
Timeline4
2012—2021·9 yrs
- 2012
Founded by Thao Vu
Thao Vu founds Kilomet 109 in Hanoi, building a slow-fashion label that collaborates directly with Vietnamese ethnic minority artisans.
- 2015
Indigo & Natural Dye Process
Kilomet 109 develops its full traceable supply chain from cotton growing through indigo dyeing with Nung, Dao, and Hmong communities.
- 2018
International Showcases
The brand presents at international platforms in Tokyo, London, and Berlin, raising the profile of Vietnamese textile craft.
- 2021
Sustainable Fashion Recognition
Kilomet 109 earns recognition from sustainable fashion organizations across Asia for its closed-loop artisan model.
