MANGMEE is a purse specially designed by the founder of Her Works “Tookta” for the Autumn/Winter Collection 2018. In this collection, she portrays an aspiring story of Yao ethnic group, a minority group residing in the north of Laos with a longstanding history dated back to the 15th Century when they fled from the Chinese Civil War. Tookta integrates Yao culture and tradition into this purse by using the unique Yao adornment, resulting in this outstanding contemporary masterpiece.

I am a founder of Her Works, a social enterprise, producer and retailer of contemporary ethnic handicrafts. We are the first in the market to produce handicrafts that were based on multiple minority groups’ designs in Laos. Our designs were awarded and Her Works then earned the opportunity from foreign institutions to join international conferences for women empowerment. Her Works aims to employ local ethnic women in the production of all hand-made handicrafts. By doing so not only do we help the community by giving them access to the mass market, but we also promote the unique diverse culture of Lao minority groups.

Her Works is a social enterprise established in March 2016. We design, produce and sell contemporary ethnic handicrafts, such as purses, clothing, shoes, jewellery and other gifts. Our designs are inspired by small ethnic groups in Laos, and the raw materials we use are mainly natural fibres that went through handmade process, such as hand-spinning, hand-weaving and natural dye. Our vision is to become a platform for ethnic women to showcase their crafts and culture. Her Works aspires to become a symbol of women’s empowerment in this little country in Southeast Asia.