Wearwell's Co-Founder, Emily Kenney, chats with the co-owners of Penh Lenh, Rachel Dodson and Srey Mao to talk about all things sustainability, favorite jewelry, and their commitment to ethical fashion.
Emily: Please introduce yourselves and tell us about your favorite piece of clothing to wear!
Rachel + Srey Mao: Hi! We are Rachel Dodson and Srey Mao, Co-Owners of Penh Lenh. We are based in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.
Srey Mao: I can’t decide on just one...anything pink though. My whole wardrobe is mostly pink!
Pearl Choker Necklace in Black
Rachel: For me, I’m all for anything with stripes or a cool band tee. Both of us shop for anything we can style our jewels with; jewelry always comes first for us! The surprising thing about Cambodia is we have great shops selling overstock items from all the garment factories or pieces that were thrown out for minuscule quality issues. There are also some great secondhand shops here, and some really cool artisan-made clothing brands! We can get great quality sustainable clothes here.
Emily: What motivated you to start Penh Lenh together?
Rachel: In 2013, I left my job as a modeling agent in NYC to move to Cambodia and pursue a career focused on empowering women through ethical fashion. Once in Phnom Penh, I met Srey Mao and we became fast friends - she was literally my first friend in Cambodia! When we met, Srey Mao had a background in cosmetology and was the co-owner of a salon. We quickly bonded over a shared passion for empowering women, ethical fashion, and strong work ethic. When I told Srey Mao about my idea for Penh Lenh, she was on board from the start!
Emily: How did your interest in sustainable fashion begin?
Rachel: We both have very different reasons and perspectives for why sustainable and ethical fashion is important to us. For me, I come from a background of working in the fashion industry as an agent for models. I was exposed to the unethical side of fashion in my job. And for Srey Mao, growing up in Cambodia, she saw firsthand the negative impact of the garment industry on workers and the environmental impact. Coming together with our different perspectives and experiences is something that makes us so unique and powerful, I believe. We see so man