Photography courtesy of Wai Ming
After six seasons under its belt, St. Louis designer Emily Brady Koplar’s line, Wai Ming (waimingstudio.com), is now available nationally at Neiman Marcus—a major coup for the relatively young label. The line, whose name means “gift of light” in Chinese, pays homage to Koplar’s Chinese-American heritage, and light is a theme in her spring collection. Inspired by the Japanese woodblock art of Toyohara Chikanobu and Katsushika Hokusai, the collection began with a cobalt blue fabric and a bold fan print. Sheer organza hems and mesh tops create a subtle peekaboo illusion and let light play through the fabrics. And though the collection has an architectural feel, it’s still feminine and beautiful, with plenty of movement—fitting for a designer on the move. (Wai Ming can also be found locally at the Collective MX and Ivy Hill.)
