Each vibrant dress, jacket, and top from this celebrated London-based shop is a wearable work of art.
In our Featured Shop series, we shine a light on a standout shop from Etsy’s talented seller community, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at their process and story. This month, it's all about colorful linen garments from Yayi and Pony.
The final touch on any truly great outfit? The attitude you bring to it. That’s the beauty of slipping on an effortlessly chic linen number from Yayi and Pony. With their light, airy silhouettes and lively color-blocked compositions, each handcrafted top, jacket, and dress is designed to put a spring in your step. "I feel this is how I create value for the world, especially for women,” says London-based shop owner Aishan Yu. “I’d like us to feel comfortable and powerful, and to visually express ourselves with joy and confidence."
Inspired by her background in painting, Aishan composes each sartorial masterpiece through the playful exploration of vibrant cuts of linen fabric. “As an artist, I always find it fascinating to capture different combinations of color and shape,” she explains. The result is a collection of wearable artwork that can easily be styled to suit every occasion and taste. Whether you’re planning a spring full of sunny park picnics or swanky gallery openings (or both!) a Yayi and Pony original is a highly versatile staple that’s made to be worn your way.
Read on to discover how Aishan’s designs put a modern spin on linen, and shop the Yayi and Pony collection.
SHOP: Linen Vuillard dresses from Yayi and Pony, $198
SHOP: Vuillard linen dress from Yayi and Pony, $198
SHOP: Vuillard linen dress from Yayi and Pony, $198
SHOP: Bonnard linen top from Yayi and Pony, $158
SHOP: Bonnard linen top from Yayi and Pony, $170
Why Yayi and Pony should be on your radar
From initial pattern design to finishing stitch, each Yayi and Pony piece is carefully considered from an artistic point of view, then crafted by Aishan’s capable hands from natural linen. Coveted worldover for its durable quality and breezy texture, linen is a material often associated with quiet simplicity and household comforts—a reputation that Aishan hopes to shift. “Linen has such a conventional image,” she says. “I try to give it a new life using geometric forms and bright colors to make it more contemporary.” Her signature Vuillard dress (a 2024 Etsy Design Awards finalist), is a beautiful example of this. The dress itself features an easy oversized cut with dropped shoulders and a soft, supple drape, and bold hues and symmetric shapes inspired by French Post-Impressionist painter Jean-Edouard Vuillard add a splash of high-fashion flair. “His work creates sophisticated visual excitement for viewers,” Aishan explains, “and I’d like to apply that feeling to my dresses, too.” (Bonus: These dresses have pockets!)
SHOP: Vuillard linen dress from Yayi and Pony, $198
SHOP: Vuillard linen dress from Yayi and Pony, $198
SHOP: Lake blue linen jacket from Yayi and Pony, $118
SHOP: Vuillard linen dress from Yayi and Pony, $198
SHOP: Vuillard linen dress from Yayi and Pony, $198
The best Yayi and Pony pieces for memorable gifting
Whether you’re shopping for a gift for someone who’s creative and playful or worldly and cool, a Yayi and Pony dress makes a fabulous present for that fashionable special someone in your life. “My dresses are suitable for women of all ages and sizes, including pregnant women,” Aishan explains. “The simple, loose fit flatters all body types, but you also have a lot of colors and lengths to choose from to suit your different moods.” Customers also rave that the garments can be dressed up or down depending on where the day takes them, and layered for a smart look in any season. “You can wear it alone in summer or with cardigan and tights in winter,” Aishan says. “It’s very versatile.” For a giftable little treat that’s equally as sweet, try Aishan’s line of complementary accessories—like her pearly drop earrings—all of which are designed to match her apparel in both style and energy.
SHOP: Beaded earrings from Yayi and Pony, $50
SHOP: Bronze cat brooch (designed by Aishan’s daughter) from Yayi and Pony, $47
SHOP: Turmeric yellow linen dress from Yayi and Pony, $158
SHOP: Bonnard linen top from Yayi and Pony, $158
SHOP: Gingham linen dress from Yayi and Pony, $144
In her words
“I try to give each dress its own unique feeling to suit a range of moods and personalities. Colors reflect moods, but I can’t really say: this one is calm, that one is happy—our feelings are much more complicated and nuanced than this. Maybe it is about balance. Say, mostly harmony but with a touch of excitement, or mostly fun with a hint of sadness, mostly sharp but also slightly ambiguous. I’ll never tire of this game.”
SHOP: Vuillard linen dress from Yayi and Pony, $198
SHOP: French blue linen dress from Yayi and Pony, $158
Follow Yayi and Pony on Instagram.
Lifestyle photos by Veerle Evens. Additional product photography courtesy of Yayi and Pony.
