Designer presents avant-garde collection

The pre-fall 2019 collection "Moonlight" was shown off in Hanoi on Saturday. The first part of the show, presented against a background of the moon shining brightly in blackness, mostly focused on black and white stripes. The next part, set against a blood moon, delved into plain beige and brown, alongside patterned grey and reddish tinges.

Some models on the catwalks covered their faces with black cotton masks, perhaps hinting at the mystery of moonlight nights.

There was sense of effortless styling in Devon Nguyen’s latest collection, nimbly balancing her particular aesthetics with a practical factor that would allow anyone to wear her dresses.

The reverse curve in this long black dress with a baggy form that could still show body curves was one of the unusual features.

Devon Nguyen brings the draping technique into all her creations. Instead of sketching designs on paper, the 32-year-old designer prefers to put the fabric on mannequins and directly cut, shape and adjust them to the result she desires. Later, the draped fabrics is taken off the mannequin and tailored.

Another baggy outfit with large pleated bell-bottomed checked trousers with a full-sleeved beige top that has a collar resembling a scarf thrown over the left shoulder emphasized casual elegance.

This checked outfit, an asymmetric skirt and wide-collared jacket worn over a cream colored top with a laced collar, marked a combination of the classic pattern with a pleasing, monotony-breaking cut. Over the last two years, Devon Nguyen has included blazers, skirts and trench coats into her innovative collections.

In yet another marriage of the conventional with its opposite, this beige skirt breaks its fall with two asymmetric reverse curves and an elongation to the left. It matches perfectly with a chocolate brown long sleeves shirt with gaping cuts on the upper arm.

Devon Nguyen’s outfits mainly use crêpe (synthetic fiber fabric with a distinctively crisp), anti-wrinkle silk and organza fabric.

The fabric used for some designs have got the moon’s surface as their pattern.

Devon Nguyen, whose real name is Nguyen Tu Diep, has been a part of the fashion industry for a long time.

When she was studying fashion in London, she joined the backstage production team of Matthew Williamson for his 2010 spring/summer collection. After graduation, she worked for a while with British brand Burberry.

In 2017 she became the first ready-to-wear designer in Vietnam to show a collection at the Paris Fashion Week.