An Englishman Abroad

Fifteen years after arriving in Vietnam to help supervise factory processes for a UK design firm, John Reeves has built up a formidable following for his own elegant home furnishings from his base in Ho Chi Minh City

- Diana Hubbell

For years, when people referred to architecture and design in Ho Chi Minh City, they would often think of imports. The city’s defining historic buildings all bear the distinctive hallmarks of its French-colonial past, while modern luxury hotels tend to rely heavily on furnishings shipped in from Europe and the United States. Thanks to a small but influential contingent of locally based creatives, the city’s design scene is changing.

Much of the transformation has to do with pioneers like John Reeves, the award-winning visionary behind the furnishings produced by Reeves Design. Since setting up shop in Vietnam in 2004, Reeves has become a formidable presence on the international design circuit, showcasing his work from New York to London and picking up accolades along the way. Sleek, elegant, yet eminently functional, his designs combine craftsmanship and materials in a way that feels both modern and classic.

“I wanted to create things that had a timeless sensibility and touch, almost giving permission to the owner to have a sense of sentimentality about it,” Reeves says. “I want to create works that fit in with the contemporary modern canon, but also things that your grandmother or your auntie could have given you.”