As I sat surrounded by Maya’s team, it was obvious that they, like her textiles and prints were meticulously chosen with diversity and New York swagger in mind. The music at Fried Rice NYC’s Mercer Street storefront was a mashup of 90s rhythm and blues with new school lyrics and gone girl perspective. Maya Wang, the brand’s designer, was running just a few short minutes behind. While waiting for our interview, there was plenty to look at, being surrounded by her perspective, it’s was as if I’d stepped into her mind — the colors, secret doors, and other nuance all spoke to the beautifully complex designer that she is.
Fried Rice NYC is the brainchild of Maya. The brand celebrates individuality and bases itself off the uniqueness of the city. There are several brands that are inspired by the empire state, but few are true to the aesthetic of diversity and can translate that into each garment. That’s why Maya is special — and why any of the pieces from Fried Rice NYC are an investment; because like the hidden neighborhoods, alleys, and corners — on any given day, you can discover something new.
In an interview with the designer, she talks about the inspiration behind the prints from her collection, mixing unconventional textiles, and homemade fried rice — because it always tastes better when it’s made with soul.
JRS | Let’s start with the most obvious question. What is the inspiration behind the name?
MW | Fried Rice comes from my mind. One day, I was walking on the Lower Eastside. I used to live on Mulberry Street and I’ve always wanted to do something around my passion. My passion is textiles and color. And I reached the point where it would be great if I could create something concrete. But I questioned, what is that? What could be better than Fried Rice? And so Fried Rice is a metaphor for the diversity of New York City.
JRS | Let’s talk about the inspiration behind the prints. Fried Rice is known for prints and color. Can you talk about incorporating both into your designs and why?
MW | It comes from the bone and cells of my body. That’s how I started. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with textures and colors. In my mind, I’m already building things. It is all about my obsession with colors and textiles and then prints. For me, prints are a natural thing. When I search for whatever I have in my mind, the first thing I’ll search for is prints. They represent themselves. Sometimes I’ll design the prints. They are the bones of Fried Rice. They make the pieces very unique, and they are unique because they speak to people.
JRS | You mix unconventional textiles in a way that’s interesting and cool. What’s the inspiration behind mixing textiles and why you put things together?
MW | Fried Rice and its prints represent all the different ingredients coming together. It is all about the mix. It depends on the taste of whomever wears it and designs it. It creates harmony of different ingredients to taste better.
JRS | Your detailing is bananas. It’s the hidden details for me! But what’s the inspiration behind the hidden details people don’t see on camera and on shoots that make purchasing from your collection an investment?
MW | Thank you for noticing. When you create art, it is not a commercial. These are my babies, I create them with care, I create them with soul. When you create fried rice, you can make it with 5000 bowls, but it might not taste as good as when you go to a smaller place and get it homemade. You know taste difference. The garment is supposed to take care of you.
JRS | Fried Rice has been around for a few seasons now, but the storefront is new. In these economically strained times, why now?
MW | It wasn’t just my decision. It was all about the retail experience. People can see what Fried Rice is about. Online, people cannot see the details and do not have a personal experience. The most important thing is, I have an amazing team. They can help customers to understand Fried Rice more. We had to open the shop.
JRS | What is the overall mission for Fried Rice, now and forever?
MW | Fried Rice is a celebration of diversity for all around the world.
