The Pacific Northwest isn’t really the first place that comes to the mind when people think of high-class fashion.
Something new out of something old — Vietnamese designer brings his modern touch to a classic
If he had followed his parents’ advice, he would be working in an office as an accountant. They once ran their own sewing school in Vietnam and knew that success in the fashion industry takes an enormous amount of hard work and patience.
INSIGHTFUL | Bharti Kirchner
She started off as an engineer but later realized her true passion was in writing. She is now considered a pioneer in her field but more importantly, Bharti Kirchner is a believer in pursuing dreams.
TOUGH | Shawn Wong
Award-winning author Shawn Wong grew up in an era defined by bellbottom pants, tie-dyed shirts and young revolutionaries screaming the mantra: “Peace, love and rock ‘n’ roll.”
RESOLUTE | UW Press
For nearly 90 years, the University of Washington Press has been in the business of publishing books. For over half that time, Naomi Pascal has been at the forefront of the operations.
WINSOME | Lensey Namioka
She excelled in mathematics when she attended elementary school in Cambridge, Mass. Her classmates thought she was weird for her unique academic ability.
IMAGINATIVE | Philip Lee
Philip Lee is no stranger to the publishing business. Beginning in 1977, for seven years, throughout high school and college, he worked in a number of bookstores. Another seven was spent in marketing in the magazine publishing business at Conde Nast Publications in New York. He has worked for Glamour, Mademoiselle, Vanity Fair and GQ magazines. However, despite greatly enjoying the business, Lee wanted to work somewhere that reflected his culture.
INDISPENSABLE | Gary Luke
Meander through the aisles of your corner bookstore, and you’re bound to come across some intriguing titles. “The Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest,” “The Cancer Lifeline Cookbook,” or how about “Sleeping Bag Yoga”? These books share a common thread beyond just challenging convention. What may not be so apparent is that the person putting out these covers is Asian American.
DRIVEN | Peter Bacho
Novelist and teacher Peter Bacho believes everybody has a story to tell. The Filipino American recalls his own humble beginnings, growing up poor in Seattle’s Central District in the 1950s. A juris doctorate, a master’s degree and two award-winning novels later, Bacho is now being honored as a pioneer who paved the way for Asian Americans in literature.
SHARP | Mayumi Tsutakawa
Seattle has no shortage of people who are well known within the arts community. The International District in particular has a number of outstanding leaders in the Asian American community. But both these communities owe a debt of gratitude to Mayumi Tsutakawa.