Photos by Geoff Story, toky branding + design
EMILY BRADY KOPLAR
Wai Ming launched in high-end specialty boutiques in 2012 and has continued to define its place in the contemporary design space with its clean, feminine-yet-graphic aesthetic, intricate design details, and thoughtfully versatile designs. The line, which has become known for its dresses, is designed for and inspired by strong, dynamic, global women who appreciate the beauty and ease of Wai Ming’s effortlessly polished aesthetic. Each piece from the collection is carefully crafted in the best factories of New York’s Garment District using luxurious fabrics from Italy and Japan.
Wai Ming meaning “gift of light” in Chinese, is the given middle name of founder and designer, Emily Brady Koplar. Emily – who divides her time between St. Louis and New York – has worked in the fashion industry for more than a decade but started designing and making clothes in her early childhood. She obtained a degree in Economics from Boston University before deciding to follow her true passion of fashion design and earning a degree from Parsons School of Design.
Wai Ming has been featured in national media outlets including InStyle, People StyleWatch, Lucky Magazine, W, TeenVogue, Martha Stewart Weddings, Women’s Health, Refinery29, and WhoWhatWear. The line has also gained celebrity fans in Taylor Swift, Emma Roberts, Carrie Underwood, Ellie Kemper, Lindsey Vonn, Katharine McPhee, Taryn Manning, Ashley Benson, Meagan Good, Holland Roden and popular fashion bloggers Chriselle Lim, Courtney Trop, Lindsey Albanese, Haya Tetroashvili, and Nichole Ciotti .