In the flow of contemporary fashion, where images are easily glanced over and emotions are often simplified, there are still designs that compel people to pause—not because of surface brilliance, but because of the depth hidden behind each layer of structure. Nguyen Duc Luong is one of the few designers who chooses to follow that path: persistently seeking Vietnamese identity through form, material, and a distinctive visual language. For him, each design is not just a piece of clothing, but a way to touch memory, culture, and kindness in the thinking behind the form.
Selecting the path from feelings for shapes and forms
Nguyen Duc Luong, born in 2000, is currently studying Hospitality Management in Ho Chi Minh City. He came to fashion not through academic paths, but through the work of his hands: pattern-making, material handling, working as a craftsman before becoming a designer. This unconventional entry shaped a unique mindset, where fashion is approached as aesthetic architecture rather than mere clothing.
Designs like “Thang Long Dong Van” (Thang Long’s Bronze Culture), “Coc Kien Troi” (Complaint of the Toad), or “Su Mieu Vu” (Dance of the Cat-Lion) do not simply replicate traditional culture, but rather transform memory into form: from dragon scales, the pao-throwing game, brocade fabrics to the cat-lion dance… everything is reassembled into a composition with its own rhythm.
Here, the wearer is not just putting on a garment but becoming an expressive space, where culture is no longer an illustrative material but a subject of dialogue. All of this reveals a Nguyen Duc Luong who avoids the beaten path. Instead of retelling culture through motifs, he chooses to sculpt culture through structure—a form of wordless storytelling that is sharp and haunting.
Performance masterpieces imbued with hidden Vietnamese spirit
One of Nguyen Duc Luong’s signature designs is “Thang Long Dong Van” which made it into the Top 5 National Costumes at Mister Glam International 2024. Inspired by the bronze drum, the bronze casting art of Dai Bai, and the sacred Dragon symbol of Thang Long, the costume is structured like a visual sculpture, delicately blending somber metallic tones with layered dragon scales that evoke the depth of history.
With “Coc Kien Troi”, he transforms a familiar folk tale into a design rich in social metaphor, where the image of the toad is not just a mythical character but a symbol of justice and the voice of the powerless. This design won the Impressive National Costume award at Miss Grand Vietnam 2023, drawing attention for its simple yet deeply layered storytelling.
Another design, “Su Mieu Vu”, which earned the Best National Costume award at Miss Beauty Equality Vietnam 2025, exemplifies Luong’s mastery of movement and stage space. Inspired by the cat-lion dance of the Tay and Nung people, the costume does more than replicate gestures—it subtly and respectfully conveys spiritual elements.
Language of fabric from traditional memory pieces
Not stopping at symbolism, Nguyen Duc Luong also aims to transform everyday life elements into theatrical aesthetic material. “Em Gian” (The Highland Girl), which won Best National Costume at Miss Global Asian 2024, is a clear example. Instead of using elaborate patterns or silhouettes, Luong restructures rustic elements like brocade fabric and the pao-throwing game to create a design that is simple yet profound, evoking the highland lifestyle in a way that feels both authentic and symbolic.
In the same spirit, “Doan Nguyet Su Mieu” (The Moonlit Cat-Lion), which placed in the Top 3 National Costumes at Miss Universe Vietnam 2023, is a design deeply infused with folk spirituality. Through symmetrical construction, somber tones, and emotionally charged movement structures, the costume not only creates a strong visual impact on stage but also suggests layers of spiritual meaning: protection, connection, and faith in goodness. This is a design that needs no introduction, as its light and rhythm have already told the story on their own.
Living icon of Vietnamese memories and aspirations
Unlike many young designers who are often influenced by international trends or tend to “formula-ize” national symbols, Nguyen Duc Luong consciously builds an independent aesthetic paradigm—one that draws from folk cultural foundations while speaking a contemporary visual language. “Long Van Khoi Tuong” (Dragon Script Awakens the Wall) is a striking example: the costume resembles a meditative warrior—powerful yet gentle—evoking an image of Vietnam that has awakened and is calmly reshaping its own identity.
Nguyen Duc Luong does not create trends; he lays foundations. In a fashion space dominated by glamorous visuals, he chooses to be the one who shapes form. He does not paint identity—he constructs it, using independent thinking, refined technique, and an aesthetic sensibility distilled from the very soul of Vietnam. And that is what makes each of Nguyen Duc Luong’s designs not just seen, but remembered. Not just worn, but contemplated. Not merely clothing, but living memory.
Hailey
