Kim + Ono Is Your New Excuse To Visit Chinatown

Photo Credit: Delbarr Moradi

The heart of Chinatown isn’t typically a shopping destination. However, with the opening of their gorgeous new boutique, Kim + Ono, two sisters are putting the neighborhood on the fashion map. Tiffany and Renee Tam have spent their entire lives in Chinatown—their parents have owned and operated various businesses for the past 30 years—so it was only natural that they set up shop in the area they’ve always called home. With Kim + Ono, they’re bringing luxe, one-of-a-kind hand-painted kimonos to the masses.

Photo Credit: Delbarr Moradi

“Our parents used to take us on trips to China with them. We would see the process of all the hand painting and craftsmanship that goes into the kimonos,” Tiffany told Haute Living in a phone conversation. “We saw that all in person when we were young. It was something that was very inspiring to us.”

Photo Credit: Delbarr MoradiNoticing that kimonos were suddenly a fashionable item that people were wearing outside the house, the Tams decided the time was right to turn their e-commerce venture into a brick-and-mortar. “We were fortunate because of the recent kimono trend,” Tiffany says. “Now people style them to go out, to wear as a cover-up over a bathing suit to go to the beach, or to wear over skinny jeans and heels, or over a dress to wear to a wedding.”

Photo Credit: Delbarr Moradi

The robe that was once meant for lounging is now a timeless staple on every fashion blogger’s Instagram account. “You can style them in so many different ways,” Tiffany says. “The kimono is so versatile; you can do anything with it.” The sisters stock Kim + Ono with gorgeous wraps in every color, print, length, and size. Each hand-painted kimono takes seven days to make. There’s the perfect kimono for everyone, from short flirty pale pink numbers with Japanese blossoms to long turquoise robes covered in beautiful birds.

Photo Credit: Delbarr Moradi

The Tams have also curated a unique selection of goods that relate to kimonos in one way or another. Think chic beauty items, wellness products, scented candles, and meditation crystals. The resulting boutique is one that is stylish, yet soothing and serene. With a clean white palette, pretty peony mural, and enticing aromas floating through the air, it almost feels like a luxe day spa. With Kim + Ono, the Tams are breathing new life into Chinatown.