Miss Universe Vietnam runner-up encounters actress Fan Bingbing at Paris Fashion Week

Both Duyen and Fan attended the Thursday show as guests of the brand.

Miss Universe Vietnam 2019 runner-up Nguyen Huynh Kim Duyen (L) and Chinese actress Fan Bingbing attend the Viktor&Rolf show on 27 June 2024 in Paris. Photo from Duyen’s Instagram

Duyen said she introduced herself as being from Vietnam, to which the Chinese actress responded warmly. Due to their differing schedules afterward, Duyen could not interact further. However, the interaction marked a memorable experience for Duyen.

"Meeting international artists during my first time attending the event [Paris Fashion Week] was a memorable highlight of my trip," she said.

Duyen attended the event wearing a cup-style dress in burgundy designed by Vietnamese designer Le Thanh Hoa. The dress featured color-changing effects, embellishments, and fringe details at the hem. She accessorized with earrings and a styled bun, creating a charming look.

Sitting in the front row for the show, Duyen was scheduled to attend a show by fashion brand Zuhair Murad afterwards but missed it due to a transportation issue.

"Fashion houses hold their shows at locations far apart," she explained. "Traffic in Paris this season is busy and prone to congestion, so I was a bit overwhelmed."

She added that she regretted missing the show, an event she was looking forward to. However, she learned a lot from that.

She is set to travel to Poland to join this year’s Miss Supranational and Mister Supranational contests, taking place on June 30, as a judge.

Duyen, 29, competed in the 2021 Miss Universe contest as Vietnam’s representative and finished in the top 16. She also represented Vietnam at the 2022 Miss Supranational pageant, where she won second runner-up.

She has been active mainly as a model.

Fan, 43, entered the entertainment industry at 17 and has gained international recognition as an actress, model, television producer, and singer. She was listed by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in 2017.

Following a US$128 million fine for tax evasion in 2018, she has kept a relatively low profile.

Held from June 18-27, the Paris Fashion Week 2024 drew attention from fashion enthusiasts. Numerous international stars were present in the fashion capital, attending shows of renowned fashion houses.