Young designer Phuong Nguyen launches her mysterious Lanh My A collection.

Phuong Nguyen is one of the few designers who follow the call of time. Despite her young age and short career, she has a great love and passion for the traditional values ​​of Vietnam. “The story of Uncle Tam Lang, an artisan who has been dedicated to preserving his craft for over 60 years, and his son, Nguyen Huu Tri, who inherited his legacy, deeply moved me. Through pleated decorative patterns, diagonal cuts, and free-flowing silk waves, I want to celebrate the natural beauty of this perfect silk material. I want to create a graceful, ethereal look that evokes memories of old Hanoi,” Phuong shared.

Phuong Nguyen's collection is likened to a dance of mysterious black. The loose, comfortable silhouettes create a natural look and allow for easy movement, while the combination of pieces, pleats, and crisscross patterns celebrates soft, graceful feminine beauty.

Nothing is as luxurious and elegant as silk. Nor is there a beauty more worthy of being cherished and treasured than a young woman in her prime. Phuong Nguyen has made that beauty even more charming with her elegant yet sensual designs. There are the graceful flowing dresses that highlight the ivory skin with the flowing silk waves cascading with every movement. There are the strappy, low-cut or round-neck, long-sleeved tops with a V-neck back, paired with a fitted pleated skirt with a delicate knot at the side. If the weather suddenly turns chilly, you can combine it with a shawl also made of Lanh My A silk, where smocking creates incredibly alluring gathers, or a classic, medium-thick, sleeveless blazer that still allows you to show off the elegant dress underneath when needed.

Phuong Nguyen also created pretty traditional Vietnamese headscarves, which were once a distinctive feature of Hanoi girls. Hanoi girls of the past often wore their long, jet-black hair neatly tied back in a velvet headscarf. Today's Hanoi girls accessorize with these stylish headscarves, feeling truly unique and individualistic.

Another distinctive feature of Phuong Nguyen's collection is the smocking detailing on the neckline, back, or sides. Smocking originated in England around the 12th century and was often used to decorate the undergarments and bodices of upper-class ladies. This technique is very suitable for silk, enhancing its smooth, glossy black surface like leather. Furthermore, too much black can easily create a cold, monotonous feel. Therefore, Phuong Nguyen always combines her designs with Hanoia lacquer jewelry. “Both materials are equally luxurious and refined; they complement each other and make both shine,” Phuong Nguyen says.

Phuong Nguyen's mysterious black dance is on display at Hanoia Boutique, 38 Hang Dao, Hanoi, a space steeped in culture and history that makes anyone feel comfortable upon entering.

Photography:Pham Tuan Duc

Model:Kim Nhung

The Thanh