No two dresses the same for Romyda Keth's clientele

Located in a nondescript building tucked away on a Makati side street, Ambre Boutique isn’t easily found by fashionistas used to the accessibility of malls. Nor does it advertise itself like other shops. But to its very well-heeled clientele, Ambre Boutique is the place to go for one-of-a-kind creations in gorgeous Khmer silk from acclaimed international designer Romyda Keth.   Cambodian-born Keth (whom GMA News Online featured in 2010) was raised in Paris and studied at the Paris School of Fine Arts and at top fashion design school Esmod. She is one of the few Asian designers to have established a worldwide following; after the first Atelier Ambre opened in Cambodia in 1999, the brand has since expanded to Middle East, Africa, Australia and the rest of Asia. In Manila, Ambre Boutique has been enjoying a select clientele since it opened in 2007. The boutique is the exclusive house of Romyda Keth designs in the Philippines, with an array of past and current collections. Store owner Janet Adams fell in love with Keth’s clothes during a trip to Cambodia and felt that her fellow Filipinas would “also feel the same.” Trusting her gut, she closed a deal with the designer and brought the brand to Manila. She relies on the quality and design of the clothes to sell the brand.   “We don’t advertise. Like Romyda Keth in Cambodia, who got popular by word of mouth, we also want our clients to be the one to promote us,” she says.   The clothes have Keth’s distinct aesthetic -- the harmony of colors, the abundance use of silk and the diversity of designs that can be worn by women of any age. “The clothes are very different from locally available or international chain clothes. They are very Romyda,” said Adams. Another reason for the clothes' appeal is that the chance of a Keth client running into someone else wearing the same outfit is practically nil -- there is only one in each size for every design. Adams recounts Keth’s story that at a social event in Cambodia once, “about 50 to 60 women were all dressed in Romyda, but nobody was dressed the same.” In November 2007, Romyda Keth came to Manila and was excited to see her brand launched. She told Adams that she wants the Philippine atelier to have the same abundance of apparel as the main Ambre outlet.   The Manila boutique is up to date with Keth’s collection in Cambodia and internationally. Similar with other Ambre Boutiques across the globe, the clothes here are racked by color. Usually, the season’s hue is given emphasis, but since Keth does not create seasonal garments, the boutique is at liberty to display what it feels will attract its target buyer.   For a luxury brand, the prices are reasonable – even competitive, given the exclusivity, the materials and the craftsmanship of each dress. Alteration is also free of charge.   Ambre Boutique also holds regular sales with as much as 70 percent knocked off for some items. These sales are usually announced on the boutique’s Facebook page. -BM, GMA News Ambre Boutique is located at Unit 313 La Fuerza II, 2241 Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City. Photos courtesy of Ambre Boutique