SingFling

I’ve thought over and over again what I will take with me, hold closest to my heart from this experience. And, it’s not just the many amazing sights and sounds, but  the friendships I’ve made throughout my trip.  

Elizabeth Kiester, Siem Reap, Cambodia, is one of these friends. 

A New Yorker, a former editor of Mademoiselle, Seventeen, and Jane as well as a former creative at Abercrombie & Fitch and LeSportsac, left her NY ways to give back — without leaving fashion behind her. And to do it wholeheartedly. 

Her sincerity, thoughtfulness, courage is unlike anyone I’ve met.   Her stories – of teaching English to saffron robe clad monks to experiencing the faces and ‘tudes of tourists on “the other side” – are, if nothing else, a best-selling novel in the making.  Not to mention, Wanderlust’s designs are awesome.  Truly an unexpected, perfect fit of East meets West.   

Thanks to Sean for the intro.  I was the second “Sean” friend to visit in two days! 

Her “autobiography” on FB says it best.  Taken from her FB page – click and join her group, btw:

girl lives in new york. girl loves fashion, color, art, 5 inch heels and travel. oh yes, and grilled cheese sandwiches. girl works at big fashion mags and later, huge global design companies. girl travels around the world in search of the cool and the new. girl grimaces every time she sees a tourist jamming a conical hat, a cheongsam, a djellaba, a fez or kimono into the overhead compartment. girl knows that these coveted souvenir-y items will never see the light of day once unpacked (except maybe at halloween). girl resolves to open a shop someday in some cool place that carries only clothes that speak a global language, stuff that translates everywhere and anywhere. girl goes to cambodia, and falls in love. falls in love with the country, the beautiful faces, the charming french colonial houses of siem reap; she is head over 5″ stiletto heels with the colors of this country, the smell of lemongrass, the sunset warming the verdant rice paddies. girl goes back to new york, ditches her job, sells her furniture, packs a few inappropriate but necessary heels, and heads back to the beauty of siem reap, cambodia. spends the summer designing stuff, training young women on western sewing techniques, swinging a sledgehammer to renovate a neglected french colonial house, making jewelry, teaching monks english, learning to meditate, keeping a blog, painting, reading, writing, exploring, meeting gorgeous people. and the result is wanderlust, a shop dedicated to giving girls gorgeousness, beautiful things handmade by the beautiful people of this beautiful country, beauty that easily translates to budapest, boston, battambang, bolivia, brighton or any beautiful place they call home.

More Siem Reap posts to come…