Vanna Sann
What is your full name?
Vanna Sann.
What is your first name?
Vanna.
Where were you born?
The refugee camp Khao I Dang in Thailand.
Where do you currently reside and work?
Phnom Penh and Kampot, Cambodia.
What is your educational background?
I obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Film Studies from Vassar College, and a Master of Arts in Communications, Culture and Technology from Georgetown University.
What are other details of experiences, work or otherwise, that have led you to your current work?
I worked with Season of Cambodia in New York, with DFS Group (part of LVMH), and with Apple, before returning to Cambodia to build Dorsu.
How would you describe your practice/business?
Dorsu is a Cambodian-owned clothing label and manufacturing studio working at the intersection of design, production, and systems change. We produce modern everyday essentials using remnant fabrics, transforming excess into durable, globally legible garments while keeping production rooted locally. Beyond the product, our practice is about building infrastructure: fair work, transparent impact, and new pathways for how clothing can be made and valued in Southeast Asia. We are a B2B and B2C business. We collaborate with partners, from institutions to independent brands, to rethink supply chains from the inside out.
At its core, Dorsu is an ongoing attempt to prove that quality, equity, and sustainability can scale together.
What are the highlight projects in your career so far?
Season of Cambodia (2013) was a dream I had the privilege of stepping into early in my career. It brought contemporary Cambodian art and performance to New York at a scale that felt both improbable and necessary, and it shaped how I understand culture, as something that can travel, translate, and assert presence on a global stage. Being part of that moment taught me how narrative, identity, and production come together, and it continues to inform how I think about Cambodia’s place in the world.
Then in 2015,I worked on launching what became Cambodia’s first true luxury retail emporium with DFS Group, a project that required building not just a store, but an entire ecosystem, from brand partnerships to customer experience, in a market where luxury retail was still emerging. It was an exercise in translating global standards into a local context, balancing aspiration with accessibility. The experience sharpened my understanding of scale, operations, and what it takes to create something that feels both world-class and locally relevant.
What are you currently working on?
I am focused on growing Dorsu as both a consumer brand and a manufacturing platform, with an emphasis on strengthening the systems behind the work, from production to impact tracking. One project I am excited about is a collaboration with a Māori organization in New Zealand, where we are co-creating 2,000 pieces for their community. It is both a symbol of identity and a revenue-generating initiative, and reflects the kind of partnership I find most meaningful. Where design, culture, and economics are closely intertwined.
Dorsu is also preparing to move into a new space on Street 240 in Phnom Penh, above Paradise Home, which feels like an important next step in shaping how the brand is experienced physically. We are also in early conversations around a potential collaboration with a leading creative institution in Cambodia, which could meaningfully elevate both sides and further position Dorsu within a broader cultural context.
The latter half of 2026 will focus on laying the groundwork for export readiness to the EU and Singapore, so that’s exciting as well.
Instagram: @vannanana1
Website: vannasann.com