A lavish fashion party from a Vietnamese local brand captivated BlackPink.

Gen Z founders started out with a passion for secondhand clothes.

As someone with a unique sense of style who doesn't confine himself to familiar everyday designs, Tran Khanh Duy – the founder of the Fancì Club brand – constantly creates products in his own distinctive way. Starting from a secondhand clothing store, Duy Tran truly made a big impact in the fashion industry in 2020 when Fancì Club's designs were chosen by the BlackPink girls for their music video "Lovesick Girls".

With the global fame of the four girls from YG Entertainment, it's easy to guess the incredibly positive impact BlackPink has had on "made in Vietnam" brands. Behind the glamorous image of these big stars, in a short time, Vietnamese local brands have quickly built a name for themselves and gained popularity among fashion enthusiasts. The brands have even received high praise from leading fashion magazines worldwide such as Vogue, Who What Wear, 10magazine, and Sheesh!.

Few people know that this Vietnamese local brand, which has "taken its bell to ring in a foreign land," comes from a multi-talented Gen Z guy born in 1999. Starting from a passion for secondhand clothing, the brand initially focused on recycled designs. When Duy Tran encountered secondhand clothing, he discovered that many fabrics were still relatively new and usable but were being discarded, which was not only wasteful but also harmful to the environment. From this reality, the 90s-born young man came up with the idea of ​​recycling to "breathe new life" into secondhand fashion.

Later, recognizing the enthusiastic support from fashion enthusiasts, Duy Tran embarked on his own design line using deadstock materials and, most recently, incorporating distinctive materials from various regions of Vietnam.

Bold and sexy, but not because it's revealing.

When you mention Fancì Club, people immediately think of unique designs, eye-catching outfit combinations, and fresh, one-of-a-kind colors. The design style is largely inspired by confident women who are passionate about beauty and know how to love themselves. They understand their own value and, in doing so, inspire a large number of fashion enthusiasts. Therefore, issues such as cultural barriers and outdated ideologies will not prevent them from wearing the designs to create an attractive and confident look.

Influenced by Eastern culture, Vietnam still adheres to many traditional dress codes with a conservative and refined fashion mindset. In contrast, Fancì dares to express its individuality as a Gen Z leader, taking a completely opposite approach. This creates a unique selling point, making the brand stand out among other Vietnamese local brands today.

In a conversation with Travellive readers, Duy Tran shared: “Fancì Club’s designs can be summed up in a few words: bold, sensual, and feminine. Bold and sensual not because of revealing clothing, but because the brand focuses on highlighting beautiful features like the body's curves. Femininity isn’t about targeting a specific gender, but is expressed through the choice of materials and colors.”

The products combine Y2K style with the feminine, delicate, and sensual charm of women. Initially, Fancì's clothing might seem difficult to wear, but upon closer inspection and a deeper understanding of fashion, you'll recognize its unique and rare "essence."

The customers who seek out the brand's designs are individuals who understand their own bodies. They know where their beauty comes from and are confident in their true selves. With that in mind, the local brand draws inspiration from people for its designs. They may come from anywhere, work in diverse professions, but they live proudly and maintain their integrity. This is the brand's design philosophy: to create products that act as a "catalyst" to help these beautiful people become more confident and love themselves more.

Vietnamese brands win over big stars.

From red carpet fashion and music fashion to street style, it's not difficult to spot Fanci's designs in any context alongside celebrities. Even top stars from both international and domestic scenes, such as BlackPink, Hailey Bieber, Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, Nayeon (TWICE), Mai Davika, Yu Shuxin, Ngoc Trinh, Dieu Nhi, and the trendy Khanh Linh, are all captivated by their designs.

The local brand's popularity increased from 2020, when BlackPink member Rosé wore the brand's brown corset and posted photos on her Instagram account with tens of millions of followers. That same year, the brand also provided outfits for Rosé and Jennie in the "Lovesick Girls" music video. Then, in September 2022, the Vietnamese brand was again chosen to be featured in the South Korean girl group's "Pink Venom" music video.

More specifically, during their two performances at My Dinh National Stadium in July 2023, BlackPink members Jisoo and Lisa wore specially designed outfits by the brand for their solo performances in Vietnam on their first time. Jisoo's purple dress and Lisa's yellow corset were both products from the local brand. This shows that BlackPink's stylist is one of Fancì's loyal customers.

Not only BlackPink, but many famous international stars from the US and UK, such as singer Doja Cat, Olivia Rodrigo, and supermodel Bella Hadid, have also worn the brand's clothing.

Phuong Mai is a reporter for Travellive Magazine in Hanoi.

Phuong Mai