‘Old meets New Vietnamese’
Miss Vans founder Andrew Duong's roots stem back to rural Laos and Vietnam, with his family finding their way to Australia by way of food. From humble beginnings with his grandparents once as farmers, to running a Banh Mi street cart and fleeing refugee camps in Thailand, food has always been a source of livelihood creating opportunity at every turn. Today, Andrew pays homage to his family, bringing a taste of the old and creating some new signatures on the way with Miss Van’s.
BrandWorks was engaged to provide a concept, brand and interior that took inspiration from Andrew’s family traditions and blending the old with his more contemporary taste. The brand identity features an omnipresent rose, symbolic of the respect paid to mothers in Vietnam and the colour palette is sampled from colours found on upholstery and table cloths typically seen in Vietnamese households.
The interiors are an eclectic homage to French-Vietnamese colonial architecture, a common sight found in cities such as Ho Chi Minh or ‘Old Saigon’. Reminiscent of the shophouses and mansions, the venue will feature high ceilings with suspended tropical greenery, overhead fans, tiled flooring, antiqued mirrors and lattice arches. The facade has been designed to mimic that of the streetscape, engraved timbers, awnings and mock windows all come together to help patrons escape the city hustle and bustle.
The interior was designed to evoke feelings of cultural homage and nostalgia. Inside we are given a glimpse as to ‘who is Miss Vans?’. Eclectic upholsteries, aged terracotta pot plants and vintage-inspired accessories will have you wondering if she is someone's grandmother passing down recipes perfected over time. The colour palette has been influenced by the food offering with lush herb tones, vibrant chilli reds and spiced mustards.
Team:
Architects: BrandWorks Studio
Builder: Summerset Construction
Joinery: Beclau Joinery
Photographers: Rohan Thomson & Dom Northcott
Materials Used:
Ceiling: Gunnersens EasyVJ Lining Board, Bunnings
Flooring: Ceramic tiles inlay, JATANA Interior
BOH Flooring: Vinyl floor, Forbo Sure-Step Vinyl colour concrete
Wall cladding: Decorative tiles, Perini tiles
Wall render: Specialty render, Bishops Master Finishes
Brick wall: Specialty sandblasting, Dulux, colour: lilypad and beige royal
Glazing: Aged Bronze Mirror, Spectrum art glass
Indoor upholstery: Lily Frond, Emily Ziz
Outdoor upholstery: Nanuya Pam, Warrick
Table top: Linoleum inlay, FORBO
Interior lighting: Vintage Style Scalloped Shade Pendant