One of the perks of being in Paris is the opportunity to see the collections first-hand and meet fashion's most exciting design talent. Recently I had the good fortune to spend an afternoon in a cafe chatting with Haute Couture and prêt-à-porter designer Xuan-Thu Nguyen (pronounced Swan-Toe nuhWEN) about her work. Thu mixes an Old World approach to detail and workmanship with innovative techniques and the result is clothes and accessories that are both exquisitely crafted and fashion-forward.
Here she shares a bit about herself and what makes her creations so extraordinary (with some prodding, she's very modest!):
Q1: You were born in Vietnam and grew up in Holland; what events lead to you opening your own Paris boutique and showing at both Paris Haute Couture and Fashion weeks?
When I was 10 years old I wanted to become a florist, but I always wanted to design, so I decided to go to fashion design school. Up graduating in 1999 I started my own label in Amsterdam before coming to Paris to open my boutique four years later, in 2005. I began showing my prêt-à-porter collections at Paris fashion week then added the haute couture, which I've been showing since July, 2008. (Ed note: it was her friend, model Irina Lazareanu, who first suggested she begin showing her collections at Paris fashion week - with an offer to walk for her.)
Q2: Can you take us through your creative process?
I design in my head, see the pattern and work out the adjustments before I begin putting anything together. In school I would do up the sketches after I'd made the garment! I have so many ideas, it can be difficult to focus on one thing and I have to separate my ideas and choose one direction. Sometimes the starting point is something as simple as a colour, a shape or a technique. My creations are a mixture of modern and geometric pleated shapes with fragile and delicate accents like handmade embroideries. I use natural fabrics like 100% cotton, silk or wool which give the garment even more of a delicate expression.
Q3: Where is your pret-a-porter line made?
Some pieces, like the accessories, are made here in Paris. I do the first few myself. The prêt-à-porter is made in Holland. My parents own a textile factory there and the numbers I need are small enough that I'm able to produce there. It also allows me control over the production. I have some unique finishing processes that I've had to work hard to get right on the production side, but in the end I've gotten things made as I want them. I could have my clothes made in China, but for me, it's not about bigger profits.
Q4: With that kind of commitment to detail in your prêt-à-porter it seems you blur the lines a bit between that and your haute couture collection.
You could say that. I will do some prêt-à-porter pieces like haute couture, like if I really want to use an expensive fabric or trim I will, or I might spend a lot of time to get the detail just right. Many of my pieces look very simple from the outside but have a lot of work on the inside. It's not about making a big show of it; these are likely things that just the wearer and myself will know. (Ed note: I saw evidence of this while browsing the racks at her boutique – for example, a light silk bolero-style jacket with an underside that was finished with a striped trim throughout was as beautiful on the inside as the outside.)
Q5: Your Fall/Winter 2009 collection is very light and summery; what was your thinking behind that?
I don't really follow the seasons, I design what I want to at that time. Also, many people live in places where they don't have winter or they need clothes for warm holidays, and I don't want to restrict myself to working in just wools and dark colours or be dictated by a season. And we could all use some brightening up during the winter!
Q6: There are many young women reading this who aspire to do what you do; is there anything you'd like to say to them regarding their pursuit of a career in fashion?
That it's very hard work. You need to work so hard, and therefore you have to want it more than anything else. As for the importance of choice of school, I don't think it's paramount. Well, some schools can offer big advantages, such as better placements, but in the end it comes down to how hard you're willing to work – it’s up to you to make it happen.
Q7: What's next for Xuan-Thu Nguyen?
We're working on launching our label in Asia for 2010...
And onward she goes! Meeting Thu has been one of the highlights of my Paris adventure, she is as lovely as one of her haute couture dresses!
See Xuan-Thu Nguyen's Haute Couture S/S 2009 and prêt-à-porter F/W 2009 collections at Photobucket!
