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Designer Do Van Tri is highly regarded for his ability to tell stories through exquisite and unique jewelry and fashion accessories. His metal fashion collections have garnered acclaim both in Vietnam and internationally. In 2014, he also collaborated with designer Long Tran to design shoes for the Mama Monster collection by the famous singer Lady Gaga at New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer.
Unlimited creativity with metal.
Coming from a family with a tradition in mechanics and machine manufacturing, Do Van Tri graduated in fashion design—seemingly unrelated. Then one day, he suddenly thought, why not incorporate metal into fashion, allowing steel to tell stories, to be soft and feminine? Creativity knows no bounds, and artisans never stop innovating to create something different.
Designer Do Van Tri
With a unique blend of mechanics and fashion, the young designer has created distinctive metal fashion products that have been highly praised by experts. He has become one of the pioneers in the trend of using iron and steel in fashion in Vietnam.
“I have a younger sibling studying fashion design in Australia. I designed a metal crown for her, and coincidentally, it caught the attention of some well-known figures in the fashion industry. That’s how I got into this profession,” he said. His designs are mainly made from pure gold, silver, and brass.
His designs are primarily made from pure gold, silver, and brass.
Do Van Tri also added: “I am a lover of pure Vietnamese culture and tradition. But I don't follow the beaten path; instead, I refine the essence, respecting traditional design principles and techniques. I innovate traditional products using metal materials, but the guiding principle remains to closely adhere to national identity, without dilution or destroying the original design.”
Some of the jewelry pieces were meticulously and exquisitely crafted by Do Van Tri.
According to him, when it comes to taking measurements for tailoring fabric, as long as the specifications are correct, the garment can fit someone of the same size. But in mechanics, metalworking requires high technical skill, detailed measurements for each person, and careful calculations of movement, requiring multiple fittings on models. Furthermore, the mechanical and gold plating industries are hazardous, so workplace safety is also a top priority.
The inspiration behind the idea that "metals can also tell stories"
When creating a product with traditional elements (for example, the Ly Dynasty Empress's crown, featuring the image of a phoenix), Do Van Tri must spend a lot of time researching the costumes, history, culture, artistic motifs, and courtly traditions. Only then can he consider whether the product will be hand-carved, cast, or gilded with traditional gold or silver. This process helps to adhere to ancient techniques as closely as possible.
This headdress was designed for Truong Thi May to represent Vietnam at the Miss Universe World 2013 pageant.
Ultimately, the most impressive product for him was the headdress he designed for Truong Thi May, representing Vietnam at the Miss Universe World 2013 pageant, in collaboration with designer Thuan Viet. This was also the first stylized headdress in Vietnam made entirely of metal, using lotus flower motifs from the Ly Dynasty.
Following his success, he designed a uniquely styled headpiece for Pham Huong. This accessory helped the contestant make a strong impression at the Miss Universe World 2015 competition. The design was inspired by the flamingo, which matched the outfit.
A close-up of Pham Huong's uniquely styled headpiece.
Miss Ngoc Chau wore the "Lac Viet Warrior" design, inspired by the image of the Lac bird and bronze drums. All the accessories, including the crown, shoes, and metal wings, were created by designer Do Van Tri.
The designer added: “When I first started making the headdress, I was criticized by many online historians and the online community for destroying tradition, for being a hybrid, and for polishing brass. But it is precisely because of that headdress that in the last 10 years, many people have copied it. My most impactful product, however, is the collection of high-heeled shoes I collaborated on with designer Long Tran, which singer Lady Gaga bought the entire set of and wore on her US tour.”
Lady Gaga bought the entire collection of high-heeled shoes she created in collaboration with designer Long Tran and wore them on her US tour.
In 2022, designer Do Van Tri personally crafted a one-of-a-kind laurel wreath as a gift to the "Road to Olympia" program. In previous years, the laurel leaves were thinner and longer. This time, he decided to make a wreath with thorns to represent the efforts and perseverance of the contestants after the Covid-19 pandemic. The wreath was made of 24k gold plating and was handcrafted over nearly a month.
Sharing his perspective on the profession, Do Van Tri said: “Every job or profession is important. What matters is whether you have enough passion and effort, not just following trends. Specifically for the design profession, talent accounts for 20%, the remaining 40% is effort in the field of study and work, which is full of challenges and difficulties. 20% you must cultivate and learn systematically from school, guidance from lecturers and yourself, and the remaining 20% is due to luck.”
