BW58 long appliqué dress (black & white)

Chula was co-founded by Diego Cortizas del Valle and Laura Fontan. Diego and Laura opened a tailoring workshop in their own home, where they were able to work closely with the tailors and involve them in the design ideation process.

Through a friend’s introduction, they connected with Hoa Sữa, a Vietnamese non-governmental organization that provides vocational training for people with disabilities. Dương became the first member of the Chula family. She is hearing-impaired and non-verbal, and she continues to work at Chula today.

Over the past twenty years, Chula has “become an icon in Vietnam’s fashion and arts scene” and is the only foreign fashion brand to have participated in every Vietnam International Fashion Week since 2011. Their collections have also been presented on global runways, including the Grand Canyon in Colorado (2014), Dubai Expo (2019), Ethiopia, Ghana, Paris, New York, and many other locations.

A memorable milestone came in 2020, when Diego and Laura were honored by King Felipe VI of Spain with the Order of Civil Merit, in recognition of their contributions to building a cultural bridge between Spain and Vietnam.