EXCLUSIVE: How Fashion Veteran and World Traveler Sonam Sangmo Is Building New York City’s New Wellness Hotspot

Curation is the name of the game at New York City’s newest wellness hotspot. 

Oases, located at the corner of 14th Street and Sixth Avenue, was founded by Sonam Sangmo, a fashion veteran with a background at companies like Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors. The concept, inspired by Ayurveda, includes an all-day café and shopping bazaar, both set to open on Aug. 16, as well as a restaurant and bar that will debut later in the month. 

In 2022, Sangmo was connected to Gemini Rosemont Development, the real estate development company behind the building where Oases is located. After the partnership proved to be a fit, she was tasked with creating something out of a blank canvas.

“I’ve had this idea since high school that I always wanted to do something out of lifestyle, but most importantly, I’ve always wanted to help benefit society,” she said, which ultimately led to the Oases concept — a well-being destination featuring ethically sourced food and products, as well as a design that promotes mindfulness.

Sangmo worked in collaboration with architecture firm Ransd and interior design company Studio Rolling to design the calming 4,755-square-foot space, which features neutral hues, curved archways, greenery and custom furniture and fixtures.

To create the space, the menu and the lineup of products featured at Oases, Sangmo tapped into her upbringing in India and her many travels. Specifically, she traveled to South Korea to meet with Jeong Kwan, known as the “philosopher chef,” who inspired Oases’ mindful approach to food; she explored Japan to better understand matcha and she has sourced an array of items from meditation cushions to the Oases uniforms from Nepal.

“I’ve always enjoyed meeting new people, trying to study them and their journey and most importantly, I’ve always wanted to use myself to benefit in a way,” she said. “Each and every product, I’m curating… but no matter how far and wide you travel, as long as it comes from an honest space, it all feels the same. You don’t have to go to Japan. You don’t have to go to Paris. You don’t have to go to South Korea. You can be at peace in New York City as long as you’re authentic and that’s the story and the message I’d like to share.”

Oases is broken down into three sections: an all-day café, the shopping bazaar and a restaurant. At the café, guests can order from a seasonal and locally sourced menu, which includes lotus bowls, eggs, toasts, and more. Additionally, the café will highlight new-to-New York brands like California-based coffee company Stereoscope.

The bazaar is broken down into five categories, including organic pantry, health and wellness, clean beauty and body care, home wellness and creative wellness. Per Sangmo, the goal is to highlight a limited number of exciting and effective brands in an effort to avoid mass production and consumption. Guests can explore an array of wellness and beauty brands like Alice Mushrooms, Juna, Cymbiotika, Looni, Monastery Made and Bask. Small-batch ceramics made by Brooklyn-based David Herbsmat will also be for sale. Concurrently, there will be Oases-branded products spanning hair, face and body soaps, $22; cashmere scarves, $122; organic raw Himalayan honey, $22; meditation cushions made in Nepal and tested by nuns, $42, and singing bowls also made in Nepal, starting at $48. The Oases food-based products will also be used in the café. In addition to each section, the bazaar will include an editorial wall, curated seasonally, a nod to Sangmo’s past work in fashion, which has heavily influenced Oases.

“What I learned at Ralph [Lauren] was creating a lifestyle. It wasn’t just fashion,” she said. “It’s not just creating a product. It’s the entire vision, and that’s always stuck with me.”