Article By: Ericka Santos 11/13/09
Photographs By: Zino and T Chhoeung
http://www.yoonlamag.com/archives/1143
On any given day he can be prepping for a runway show, researching fabrics, sizing up models, or pulling his best designs for music artists and celebrities to flaunt at their next big photo shoot. With a catwalk of sexy and sophisticated styles for both men and woman alike, designer Remy Hou is making waves in the fashion industry with his custom -made collection: Engineered by Remy.
October 20, 2009 is the night of his very first exclusive Engineered by Remy showcase at Santa Monica’s swanky Salute Wine Bar. The crowd is buzzing and through the venue doors are tables filled with guests ready for the runway entertainment. While the warm ambiance steadily grows inside, Hou and his models are outside preparing for the night’s festivities in 20 of his best tailored female and male looks. Decked out from head to toe in his one-of-a-kind handcrafted accessories, jackets, skirts, slacks, and more, the audience is about to witness the debut of a selection of new items as well.
What is the inspiration for this show? Hou said,“I want to design my vision for the future of fashion. A man should be able to dress up, stand out, and feel comfortable.”
Photo By: Zino with Zino Photography
“For the woman’s collection I want to design pieces that speak character and elegance but still keep the sexy silhouette and shape of a woman.” Hou adds, “The look will exude classiness, my version of a female, the Gemini to the male.”
Photo By: T Chhoeung with Flash Point Photography
As the laughter and chatter of the crowd begins to parallel the vibrations of the booming music, the entrance is being cleared, photographers are scouting their best positions along the runway, and the anticipation for the main event is almost over. With the last of the models fitted and ready to go, it’s show time.
Photo By: T Chhoeung with Flash Point Photography
Look after look comes strutting down the catwalk. Sleek and sophisticated, every piece is unique in its texture, shape, color, and design. From an all-white fitted men’s power suite to a sassy skin-tight grey pencil skirt dress, every eye in the house is fixated on Hou’s collection. Diverse, dynamic, and daring, while every piece carried its own presence on stage, the unmistakable and unifying detail of the Engineered by Remy collection is in the bold yet simplistic branding.
With cameras flashing, cameras rolling, and a room full of guests applauding for the outfits gracing the stage, a handful of male models stand at attention at the end of the runway. Lined in a V-formation they look confident, attractive, and comfortable–every detail paid attention just as the designer intended. Through the formation emerges the man himself, sporting all black, dark shades, and a shy smile. Hou humbly raises his arms to the crowd and waves. While the cheers for a job well-done echo off the venue walls, Hou takes a moment to look around, pose for press photos, and graciously retreats from the spotlight.
“I had a great night,” Hou said as he recalls the evening. “I smiled on my way home as I drove off to conquer the next show.”
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ROOTS
The man behind the dark shades and bashful smile has definitely managed to manifest his dreams through positive thinking, continual progress, and sheer determination to witness his vision become reality. Never losing sight of where he’s headed, Hou is also set on never forgetting where he came from.
Born in Cambodia during the end of the Khmer Rouge Regime, Hou and his family overcame horrific circumstances during the aftermath of the war. Surviving landmines, starvation, and bullets, they eventually came to call Long Beach, California home.
“I still remember the night my family escaped from the camp. Even though I was very young, I remember it vividly,” he said. “It was pitch-black, and at the time I was small enough for my father to carry me in a backpack. It was hard to see anything through the thickness of the jungle.”
During their escape, Hou was suddenly slashed against the side of his cheek. He had come up against barbed wire while on his father’s back. “I still have the scar from that to this day,” he said pointing to the side of his face.
Forever engrained into his character, that survivor mentality propels him to follow his dreams.
“My parents worked hard to put food on the table, and I worked hard at reaching for any opportunity to further myself from discrimination,” Hou said. “I got my B.S. in computer networking and a Masters in business administration. Fashion wasn’t my passion until I landed a job in Hollywood fixing cell phone networks for actors and actresses such as Tom Cruise, Kim Kardashian, Omar Epps, John Legend, and many more.”
Unsatisfied with the definition of fashion at an early age, Hou was no stranger to altering his clothes to fit his sense of style. It was during his time as a computer networking specialist that he wore some of his original designs on the job. His shirts, pants, and jackets had a unique fit, a tailored appearance that began leaving lasting impressions.
It was in 2006 when he started designing, and by 2007, he dedicated himself to pursuing a career as a full-time designer. With no formal training in fashion, Hou relied on the experience he learned at the age of 12 as he helped his mother with sewing as part of the family’s source of income. Taking the initiative to teach himself more about the technique of design, Hou also learned through reverse engineering. He studied how shirts, pants, and jackets were put together in their core pieces. By doing this, he was able to make his own patterns, pick his own fabrics, and begin making Engineered by Remy come alive.
“I started with nothing coming from Cambodia. Didn’t know how to speak a word of English,” Hou said, “And being here speaking English, finishing school, getting a job, meeting celebrities, working with them, and starting my own line – it’s like a dream come true,” Hou confesses.
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BIRTH OF A BRAND
Photo By: T Chhoeung with Flash Point Photography
Since the beginning of his venture into fashion, Hou has made a statement with his clothing. The interest that ensued and the attention his style demanded quickly became evident. While compliments and curiosity about the clothing he designed and sported on the job or out with friends sparked Hou’s confidence, he recalls the night his imagination was ignited to believe his newly found passion could truly translate into a profitable business.
While out at an event one evening it happened.
“Some guy approached me like, ‘Hey man I like that hoody. I like how you did with the fur, the leather, and the design. Where can I get it?’ I told him the price, $150, and he said, ‘OK, get me 10’,” Hou recalls.
Considering the piece was a modified design and just one-of-a-kind, Hou was nowhere near established for a mass order such as that, but it definitely got the wheels turning.
“So from there I realized ‘Wow, I can make money or side money out of this while I’m working.’ Then it evolved into custom-made jackets instead of modified hoodies,” Hou said. And the rest is history.
Fueled by appreciation and driven to see just how far his talents could take him, Hou immersed himself in using every resource he had to get his name and his clothing line in the spotlight. Family and friends became a valuable asset to the young aspiring designer. They helped with shooting photography, booking clubs, modeling clothes, and promoting his fashion shows. The road was rocky and not without its pitfalls, Hou admits, but with every show and every mishap he was able to push forward and improve his vision one experience at a time.
In witnessing his designs gain more and more recognition, Hou also acknowledges how integral the proper branding for his collection would be. The bold blue and red stripes detailing his clothes is a testament to Hou’s roots and representative to an ideal he wishes to inspire in those who wear his line.
“A lot of people knew my designs but not the brand. I needed a logo,” Hou said. “I needed something to represent me, who I am as a person, and also me from how I started. So these colors are actually from the Cambodian flag.”
Using the red and blue color base and readjusting the horizontal scheme of the flag into a vertical logo fit perfectly. Not just that, Hou adds, the colors lend themselves to the representation of how he thinks everyone should be as a person.
Photo By: Zino with Zino Photography
“The colors signify that sometimes you’re going to be tested a certain way and get made, which is the red, and sometimes you have to keep cool, collective, smart, and wise, so that’s where you have the color blue,” Hou said. “So you have to [learn to] balance yourself.”
Knowing there is a time and a place for aggression and proper moments to project tranquility is the duality and essence of Hou’s logo.
With the perfect branding in place and a steady audience emerging, all that was left to cement Engineered by Remy as the next up-and-coming A-list collection was the appreciation from an A-list star. Hou conquered that when he was called to design a custom leather jacket for musical artist John Legend.
After a year and a half of developing a good report with Legend’s manager, Hou received a call the day before John Legend’s birthday. He was asked to design a custom jacket for the artist that would be presented to him at the John Legend birthday bash. The only instructions were, “do what you do” – Hou smiled. Still in the process of perfecting his skills as a designer, it was nevertheless an exciting opportunity he couldn’t pass up. He researched the styles Legend likes to wear and took to doing the best he could.
“To actually be able to be like ‘John, here’s a jacket for your birthday,’ not anybody can say that. I made something for John Legend, and he wore it and took photos. He loved it, you know,” Hou said. “He put it on, and he had a smile on his face. It was great.”
Since that point, Hou has been part of countless fashion productions, designed for artist like Teairra Marie and Lil’ Mama, had his looks pulled for celebrity shoots – with the most recent being for actor Brian White – and has had his products appear in magazines such as Krave, J’Adore, and Runway.
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FUTURE OF “REMY” FASHION
For Engineered by Remy, the journey to stardom has only begun to unfold. While sitting with Hou, he reveals that 2010 promises to be a year of tremendous transitions and exciting new expansion for the line.
Within the next year, Hou plans to go international with his collection and has committed to debuting fashion shows in Cambodia and Switzerland. Already establishing contacts overseas, Hou’s intends to use his media contacts and popular momentum to infiltrate the international market.
“By next year the online site should be done…everything should be well finished, so the only thing I have to focus on is getting sales and advertising going to get into different boutiques,” Hou said. “So in five years I shall be able to have a well-managed company with a lot of mass production. But for now, until the next two years, everything is still going to be custom made by me.”
As the future of fashion continues to be impacted by the talents of this innovative designer, only time will tell how grand Engineered by Remy can become. Looking forward to surrounding himself with a team of positive and loyal business partners, Hou hopes to one day solely focus his energy on designing and traveling the world to spread his style of sophistication and an uplifting message of perseverance through fashion. From the way he carries himself to the way he speaks of his passions, it’s clear to see Hou believes in his vision and tries to live in positivity every day.
“You have to know that you are special because we are all different; not everyone is the same,” Hou smiles again. “So if you channel yourself and really stay dedicated and focused, the world is going to realize that, and it’s going to feed off that energy. With every action that we do, we change everything. So if you think about it, if you dream a certain thing, wish for a certain thing, something’s going to happen because that energy is released out there.”
Determined to offer more than just the typical rags to riches story, Hou wants to encourage everyone to believe in themselves as much as they can believe in his brand. So remember the name and keep an eye out for the collection rising to the top. For more information on where you can catch Hou’s next show, his hot designs, or are just curious about keeping up with Hou’s adventures in the industry, visit http://remtek.wordpress.com.
