Organization
Khmer Bridal Boutique
Khmer Bridal Boutique is a shop for traditional Cambodian wedding and party attire on East Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach, California.[1][2] Kaylene Men is its owner and founder.[1] Men and her family have owned the business for 24 years.
History
Men began collecting Khmer artifacts while mentoring young people in Long Beach, to give them a more positive image of Cambodia. She turned the collection into a gift shop, and in about 2016 she changed the gift shop into a bridal boutique.[1] In 2018 she said the hardest part of the business was working in a niche market that is also seasonal. She volunteers in the community to make its services known, and she follows the latest trends from Cambodia and brings them to the shop.[1] Her favorite part of the work is meeting people who are interested in Khmer culture, and she has said she would like to open a gallery of Cambodian artists.[1]
Attire
The shop stocks Cambodian wedding and party wear, including sampot, scarves and gold jewelry. The owners can often custom-make krama scarves or full ceremonial dress, including outfits for men and dance costumes.[2] Men also works with families from Laos and Thailand, who she says share similar beliefs.[1] For Men, a wedding brings together many parts of life: "the institution of family, the music and the food."[1]