Felicia Hwang’s designs for Hwang Bishop are a love song to diverse cultures and traditional handicrafts.

When Felicia Hwang visits a new place, the first thing she does is go for a long run. This doesn’t just boost her endorphins—it inspires her work. “It makes me appreciate the design elements in everything I encounter, from the bud of a flower to an architectural detail on a busy city street,” she says.

That passion for diverse cultures and scenery has always been the driving force in Hwang’s designs. The middle child of immigrant parents from Taiwan, she grew up on Long Island surrounded by traditional Asian arts and textiles, ranging from ceramic vases to silk-paneled landscapes. Her artistic streak started early: She began painting with calligraphy brushes at the age of 5, and picked up paper-cutting and origami not long after.