Vietnamese designer sticks to his strengths for New York show

By Y Ly    February 15, 2019 | 01:40 am PT
Vietnamese designer sticks to his strengths for New York show
Cong Tri, one of the top designers in Vietnam, debuts his collection at NYFW on Monday. Photo acquired by VnExpress
Cong Tri wanted to something different, but stylist collaborator Kate Young advised him to stick to what he does best.

When Tri presented his Autumn and Winter 2019 collection at the New York Fashion Week on Monday, it was a culmination of hard work and meticulous care to details, and fruitful discussions with collaborator Kate Young.

He decided to present evening gowns, a dress he is very familiar with, on Kate Young’s advice.

"I always want every collection to have some really special content, but Kate Young convinced otherwise," Tri told VnExpress.

"Maybe the kind of designs and ideas are familiar to me, but fashion lovers in the U.S. have not seen them on the New York stage. So showcasing my strength is the key, she said."

"We selected the designs together with careful consideration of every detail so that they all fit the taste of New York fashion lovers."

Tri took 42 evening dresses to Gallery II in Spring Studios, New York, home to many grand shows of famous brands like Marc Jacob, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Versace and Tom Ford.

Four evening dresses showcased in Cong Tris collection at NYFW. Photo acquired by VnExpress 

Four evening dresses showcased in Cong Tri's collection at NYFW. Photo acquired by VnExpress 

New challenge

The Vietnamese top designer said the preparation process presented some major challenges.

The pressure of a ready-to-wear collection, instead of the haute couture style that he had presented in other international events, was a stiff challenge. He had only introduced his ready-to-wear collections on domestic stages before.

"It was tough," Tri said. "You need to approach and convince the market with your designs. You need to put a thousand times more effort into this than what you usually do within your own country."

One strategic move for the presentation was seen in casting the models.

Many were amazed to modeling superstars walking for Cong Tri’s show on Monday, including Victoria Secret models like Lais Ribeiro, Jasmine Tookes and Josephine Skiver. This was not an easy task.

While many global star models do take part in the NYFW, many grand shows take place at the same time or just 3-4 hours apart from each another. Renowned fashion brands have an advantage in casting famous models, since the latter are usually willing to work with the former.

With new brands and young designers, the models make their choices depending on the prestige and potential. Money is not the most essential factor, he said.

"However, the pressure from such competition made me happy," Tri noted, explaining that the new challenge was a new opportunity.

"I hope this is a new step for my own brand and becomes a valuable experience for young Vietnamese designers in general." 

 
 
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