Bạn Bè Bakery Founder Talks Food, Fashion, and Asian Diaspora – WWD

The single-hit feat is a thing of the past for many creators, and Doris Ho-Kane is no exception.

In addition to having a booming Friends bakery, she recently collaborated with Cherry Bombe on limited edition sweets, is working on a book about the Asian diaspora, and wants to open a library. cycle to extend his research to others. A few years ago, Ho-Kane started 17.21 Women, a photography curation project about Asian women.

But her role as the founder of the first Vietnamese-American bakery in New York City kept her busy. The first is the waiting list for 12,000 boxes of Vietnamese biscuits that tend to be. “It was intense but I loved it. It was working capital that kept me going,” she said.

Before founding Friends Bakery at the end of 2019, her career path spanned 15 years of fashion design. Apparel and textile design are her areas of study at FIT. Immediately after graduation, Ho-Kane became a senior photography entrepreneur for Steven AlanTriBeCa’s boutique and later co-founded silkscreen men’s clothing line with her husband, Mark. That Beard & Bangs label was sold in over 40 stores including Barneys in Tokyo, United Arrows, Steven Alan and others. Lake-Kane also had her own store at one point called DOMAHOKA, branded Rachel Comey and others. She also works in public relations for a representative SoHo showroom Kim Jones, Stussy, Karen Walker and The Lover.

When she became pregnant with her child in 2013, she became more aware of what she was eating and switched from fashion to pursuing food, an area she is familiar with. Growing up in Dallas, her family owned a restaurant. Just like fashion, dish is a creative field and one that revolves around a particular calendar.

“There are seasons for fashion and seasons for cookie boxes, for weddings, for birthdays and other celebrations. I feel like my process and workflow are similar,” she says. “Also, fashion is a basic need. You are dressing someone for protection but it is also very beautiful. Because dish, it is to nourish and to survive. But I try to infuse my aesthetic into it. Everything is so beautiful and cute.”

When the pandemic broke out in early 2020, she put her plans to open a store on hold and started working as a personal chef, catering and wholesaler. About a year ago, she moved to Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, a factory-like site that hasn’t fully opened to the public. As the weather warms up, she hopes to open on weekends as a buy-and-go place. Ultimately, she plans to renovate the front of the space to turn it into a retail space.

Ho-Kane is currently working on her book, “Asian Women: Forerunners and Creators,” and is busy archiving and researching on that. The manuscript will be completed by March and Penguin is expected to be published in 2023. The book will introduce the diaspora to the Asian diaspora, including Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and other countries. South Asia like India. Ho-Kane said that West Asia could be a second edition.

She talked to potential investors about opening an acyclic library where people could see faces that have been buried throughout history or marginalized in society.

“This bakery is an extension of my archive. I’m working with my cultural roots. Vietnamese food hasn’t really shined, especially on the East Coast desserts, specifically in New York City. I feel this is a way for people to get in touch with Asian culture, specifically mine. That’s part of that but it’s been put on the waiting list for the cookie box,” she said. “But I definitely wanted a space to house my archives, research and get these women’s stories out and feed people.”

Had to discuss a lot with male investors but Ho-Kane still has not found the right person. “I would love, love, love to be a woman. But I’ve had a lot of men approach me, and I feel like we’re not making eye contact correctly. I know it’s a partnership that is basically forever and I want to be friends with this person and have a good vision that will help both of us grow and develop instead of someone who only cares about numbers ,” she said.

As the Lunar New Year approaches in February, she is preparing something artistic to offer. Regarding future collaborations, Ho-Kane said, “I have friends in the fashion industry who always say, ‘Whenever you’re ready, let us know.’ But I have this book to do and this bakery will stay open. ‘”