About American Heiress
Formerly known as LaitCollection, it was rebranded to American Heiress to better reflect our design ethos and inspiration.
From the swirling embroidery and delicate lacework of Rococo glamour to the meticulous tailoring of historic female aristocracy, American Heiress is an ode to the classic muses of art and culture. Founded by Kristen Chen Li and Teresa Tang.
Championing feminine beauty and elegance, American Heiress designs celebrate curves, colour, and romantic detailing, stepping away from masculine lines that modern tailoring favours. The brand prioritises styles that empower women, and evoke a sense of confidence, grace and whimsy, infusing timeless femininity in every collection.
While inspired by heritage silhoutettes, American Heiress embraces modern innovation—adopting the latest textile technologies and fashion trends to keep its collections relevant, exciting and most importantly, affordable. Each seasonal launch strengthens the connection between vintage and contemporary style, whilst always staying true to its roots in heritage and art.
Kristen
Kristen, co-founder of American Heiress, spent her childhood in Yangzhou, China—a city celebrated for opulent gardens and artisanal crafts dating back to 500BC. Here, her fascination with history, craftsmanship, and art was born. Yangzhou’s rich artistic history directly inspired Chinoiserie, the French appreciation of the Chinese art, so much so that Marie Antoinette ordered her garden at Petit Trianon to be designed in the Chinoiserie style. Later, Kristen’s family relocated to Fredericton, Canada, a French settlement city, where her love for landscape oil painting was ignited. Kristen’s global perspective deepened through over a decade in Boston, New York, and Palo Alto. Though her academic path led her to a mathematics degree at Harvard, Kristen’s true passion remained with art, anda deep fascination with the iconic women who shaped history with grace, style, and strength, such as Madame Pompadour, who used her unique position and influence to give femininity a voice in art, propelling the rise of Rococo. When working on finalising the American Heiress concept, Kristen relocated in a 300-year-old French Chateau in Loire Valley and immersed herself in heritage institutions and historical sites all over England and France such as Victoria & Albert Museum, The Wallace Collection, The Louvre, and the estate of Trianon. She continues to travel between the US, UK, and France, seeking inspiration in museums and vintage boutiques. For Kristen, fashion is accessible art—her designs reflect this, blending artistic heritage with modern ultra-femininity and unifying the elegance, spirit, and confident self-expression that she first admired in strong, stylish women throughout history.
Teresa
Teresa, co-founder of American Heiress, was born in Urumqi, China and raised in Sacramento, California. Her journey was shaped by early classical piano training, developing a love for the emotional beauty of romantic compositions – herfavourite pieces to play are from the romanticism period:whether a lavishly ornate Waltz, an emotional story-telling Ballade, or a whimsical and melodic Nocturnes, these masterpieces enriched her life with a romantic and imaginative side, and fed her creative desire. Teresa’s curiosity led her to study chemistry at Cornell University. Later, in New York City, Teresa met Kristen while working in private equity investing in consumer businesses such as Bergdorf Goodman, where they drew inspiration from founders’ stories and creative journeys. Together they made a promise to each other that one day, they’d embark on a venture together – that venture was realised in American Heiress. Now, splitting her time between Beijing and California with her husband and children, Teresa is passionate about reviving elegant, vintage-inspired fashion. Within American Heiress, she channels the strength and independence of historic women into modern, romantic designs that invite every wearer to express her own freedom, feminine power and timeless beauty.