A Legacy in Wood: Lemieux Et Cie and the Vietnamese Renaissance of Fine English Cabinetry

In the quiet years following the Vietnam War, as the country emerged from conflict and reconnected with the world, a powerful renaissance of craftsmanship took root. It began, in part, with a visionary move in 1979, when English antiques dealer Paul Maitland-Smith established his namesake company in Hong Kong, seeking places in Asia where traditional craftsmanship could flourish. His search led him to Vietnam—a country whose artisanal history extended centuries deep, with entire villages dedicated to the art of fine woodworking and carving.

Vietnam, Maitland-Smith discovered, was singular. The level of hand skill, the reverence for materials, and the generational knowledge embedded in its craftspeople made it the only place outside of Europe where the reproduction of fine English antiques could be executed at the highest level. The founding of Theodore Alexander in 1996, with its anchor in Vietnam, signaled to the design world that something extraordinary was happening: not merely manufacturing, but "mastery"—an atelier model of furniture production on a global scale. At Lemieux Et Cie, we honor and continue this tradition. Our most exceptional pieces are made by these same Vietnamese artisans—craftspeople whose hands carry not only the weight of history but the elegance of now.

Our ethos: "History. Luxury. Legacy." is not just a tagline. It is a statement of purpose. We draw from the deep well of European design history, interpreting its beauty through the lens of modern living. The luxury lies in the integrity of our materials, the finesse of the hand-carving, and the time each piece takes to create.

And the legacy is yours: heirloom-quality furniture meant not for trends, but for permanence. The artisans who bring our designs to life are not anonymous laborers. They are the custodians of a centuries-old tradition—translating our vision into objects of enduring worth. With every curve, joint, and chisel mark, they honor the continuity of design excellence that began in English manor houses and now lives on in homes around the world. Vietnam, once a quiet partner in this legacy, now serves as its vibrant center.