Hnub & Hli
(Hnub pronounced “noo”, Hli pronounced “lee”, means the “sun” and “moon”).
Embracing the Hmong culture became a greater desire after I had my daughters. Once I became a mother, I realized how valuable it is to keep my heritage alive. As I became a career driven professional, my roots became a part of my shadow. It wasn’t my intention to forget, but time slips through your fingers when life happens. Then one day I paused. I thought about the folklores my parents told, the Hmong dress my mother gifted me when I got married, the first time I went to the Hmong New Year and I desired the same memories for my daughters too.
As we integrate ourselves into a world of modern technologies and places that are not quite home, the opportunity to showcase the Hmong culture became rare. But once in a while even the moon and the sun (lub hli thiab lub hnub), seemingly so different, can be seen under the same sky. This is why I began Hnub & Hli. At Hnub & Hli we are bridging worlds. I quickly discovered that things were changing and morphing due to our surrounding. Others may view this as a negative impact on the authenticity of the culture, but I view it as a harmonious compromise between the new world and the old world.
All of this lead me to collaborating with Hmong Sister designs. Hmong Sister has been designing Hmong clothes since 2013 and they do such a great job preserving Hmong artistry, with a modern twist. In early 2019, I began the artist collaboration efforts. We have many talented Hmong brothers and sisters in the community. I want to build a platform for them to explore their creative self and by challenging them to capture the different influences around us. This collaboration is unique because each sale that Hnub & Hli makes, the artist will receive a share of the proceeds.
The future holds many great things and I’m excited to charge forward. Thanks for reading my story.