Six 22 Design Lab's Grace Under Heat
It’s almost summer, and even if the sun hasn’t pushed thermometers to the boiling point yet, women are scouring boutiques such as Six 22 Design Lab for lighter clothes to survive the upcoming months with grace.
The top-selling item this week at the South Pasadena, Calif.–based boutique is the “Spyder” white linen pant, manufactured by Amsterdam-based Gsus, according to Six 22 Design Lab owners Andrea Hui and Samantha Lin. The loose-fitting $119 pants feature white floral embroidery on the front pocket and a floral silk-screen print on the side. Hui said the item’s loose fit is perfect for any woman who needs to brave the heat and the details add a winning, subtle touch.
“The detail doesn’t scream, but it’s there,” Hui said. “They’re easy-to-wear pants. You can throw any kind of shirt on with them. They can be casual or really dressy.”
Six 22 Design Lab was not set up with ease in mind though. The hardworking founders met each other while earning master’s degrees in business administration at Pepperdine University, where they wrote a business plan for a fashion boutique. After graduation, Hui got a marketing job working for handbag manufacturer Isabella Fiore and Lin worked for financial services firm Merrill Lynch.
After one year of working as employees, they decided to put their business plan to work and embark on their dream of running their own boutique. While they carry lines such as Polka Dot and Hina Shimada, both of New York, they also sell their Six 22 Design Lab clothing and handbag label. The label is sold in boutiques such as Mingle in San Francisco, as well.
—Andrew Asch
