( CNN ) -- Vivienne Tam has become well known for creating clothes that appeal to all ages , ethnicities , and income levels . She has earned the reputation for offering a stylish and high-quality product while at the same time inviting the consumer to experience the inspiration behind it . As a designer of clothing that `` suggests tolerance , global acumen , and a Fourth of July faith in individual expression , '' Tam , in the words of fashion critic and curator Richard Martin , possesses an `` idealistic globalism that transcends politics and offers a more enchanted , peaceful world . '' Born in Canton , China , Vivienne Tam moved to Hong Kong when she was three years old . Her bi-cultural upbringing in the then British colony was the first stage in the development of her signature East-meets-West style . After graduating from Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Vivienne Tam moved to New York where she thrived on the excitement and energy of the fashion world . New York became a home for her and a continuing source of stimulation for her designs . In 1994 , Vivienne Tam launched her signature collection of Eastern inspired clothing with a modern edge on the New York runways . In 1995 , she introduced the influential Mao collection that triumphantly crossed over from the fashion world into the art world . Then in 1997 Vivienne Tam launched the Buddha collection . The public and celebrities around the world quickly embraced both collections . Some of the images became so popular that scores of designers even adopted the look into their designs . Pieces of the collections were ultimately incorporated into the permanent archives of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh , The Museum of FIT and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York , and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London . In an era where the fashion industry is populated by numerous names and emerging new talents , Vivienne Tam has shown that she can consistently appeal to everyone from high-society to urban to teens , offering them fresh collections every season . She is poised to become the next multi-tasking , multi-successful designer and businesswoman . E-mail to a friend .
Vivienne Tam was born in Canton , China , moved to Hong Kong when she was three . She is a Chinese American who has lived and worked here for over 20 years now. Items of her work are featured in museums in New York , Pittsburgh and London .