On day 3 of VIFW, I was a little bit exhausted with the non-stop schedule at work during the day and the fashion show at night. Since I got back to Vietnam the day before fashion week, I stayed up until 2- 3am every night to finish what I was supposed to do during that day and woke up at 7am to get ready for the next day at work. It was tiring but exhilarating at the same time. 

If I could feel fresh and energetic the next day without much sleep, I wouldn't mind staying up all night long to do what I love doing. To cut the long story short, instead of running back and forth to change, do hair and makeup, and take outfit photos, I decided to have a good 3 hour rest in my hotel room and only headed to the fashion show at night. 

That said, this blog post is all about the beautiful collections of the night instead of my outfit. They are so beautiful that they will blow your mind. 

With Trang Le, founder of Vietnam International Fashion Week. Thank you so much for having me!  

With my beautiful friend and the host of the fashion week, Viet Ha

I Hate Fashion opened the 3rd night of fashion week with a collection that cannot be more Spring and Summer ready. I first knew about this brand from last year's fashion week and to be honest, it wasn't my most favorite one. But this year's collection is like a breath of fresh air and it stole my heart. From the big earrings and those cute wedges to the soft silk materials and the pastel colors, there is nothing not to love about this collection. In fact, I wanted to have them all. 

After I Hate Fashion, Fashion designer Frederick Lee from Singapore continued to heat up the room with his one-of-a-kind collection that brought us to a dreamy and mysterious garden. Every single dress is like a piece of art. I have goosebumps watching Frederick Lee's fashion show every single time. The third time felt just like the first. 

I've watched many fashion shows, but none ever made me feel proud of being Vietnamese and love my country like how the collection of Ao Dai by Dinh Van Tho did. Ao dai is a Vietnamese traditional costume that the girl wears on her graduation, her wedding day, or a special day in her life. Fashion designer Dinh Van Tho portrayed the beauty, history, and culture of Vietnam through his "My Hometown" collection. I saw an old town, a bustling floating market, and an endless rice field. For a girl who haven't worn Ao Dai for more than 10 years, this collection touched me to the bottom of my heart. 

If the first half of the night was full of emotion and appreciation, the second half quickly became more lively with a dynamic collection by 3 young fashion designers who are the winners of Project Runway Vietnam: Nguyen Tien Truyen, Hoang Minh Ha, Ly Giam Tien (from left to right)

French couture designer Eymeric Francois brought a gothic fairy tale with full of mysteries and darkness. 

Last by not least, Vietnamese fashion label Tiny Ink by Hoang Quyen closed the night with a collection that was inspired by the beauty of Vietnamese women through different periods in her life and the different types of traditional dresses worn by women in each century. I saw a beautiful blend of modern fashion with a rich culture in every outfit. These beautiful images on each dress are carefully painted by hands. 

One night with 6 beautiful collections. I could hardly contain my emotion that night and I'm still feeling overwhelmed writing about it right now. If only these photos could do them justice. Perhaps, you can watch a recap video here to see everything in motions and come back to this page again for the final blog post. As usual, I'm saving the best for last. Just give you a hint! 

Thank you so much for reading! 

::Outfit::

Three Floor dress

Salvatore Ferragamor handbag

Schutz shoes (old)

Swarovski watch

On the second day of the Vietnam International Fashion Week (VIFW), I wanted to dress down a little bit since my first day was already pretty epic. I styled this old peplum skirt a new way. 

I'm not sure if you still remember, I actually wore this skirt once at last year New York Fashion Week. This beautiful peplum skirt was gifted to me by an Indonesian designer Michelle Worth and because I loved it very much, I wore it twice. This time, instead of wearing a crop-top, I chose a normal collar shirt to go with the skirt and left one shoulder off to make the ordinary shirt look more interesting. 

Sometimes, it's not about how many clothes that we have, but how creative we are at wearing the same clothes different ways. Fashion should always be fun and fearless. I'm glad I took the risk because this outfit turned out to look better than I expected. At least, Harper's Bazaar Vietnam,  Tiep Thi Gia Dinh and Kenh14 approved! 

Twinning with my boo Travis Nguyen as we accidentally rocked the same style. Great minds think alike! 

Loved these pieces from British designer, Nina Naustdal's collection.

If Nina Naustdal's collection focuses on the stunning embellishment and excellent workmanship, a collection of Klar Lov, fashion designer from Thailand, emphasizes on the woman's silhouette and her curves.

Canifa by Chau Chan Hung, a well-known Vietnamese fashion brand brought the summer on the runway with a bright and colorful collection.

Quang Nhat, Vietnamese fashion designer ended day 2 of VIFW with his new collection that is inspired by architecture and art. Couldn't deny how impressed I was with many young Vietnamese talented designers. You've just seen only a few of them.

More to come.

Thank you so much for reading!

Photos: Street by Chanh, Navian Photography & Trung Tin Photography

Outfit:

Zara blouse- Similar here

Silk peplum skirt- Thanks to Michelle Worth Label

Chloe drew handbag

Mugler sunglasses

Rene Caovilla fruity sandals

Gorjana jewelry

Although Vietnam International Fashion Week (VIFW) passed almost 4 months ago, I don't think the heat of the biggest fashion week in the country has gone down ever since. Not even a little bit. It was my second time attending #VIFW. The first time was in October last year.

I still remember very clearly how excited and nervous I was to think of attending the very first fashion week in my motherland. It was more nerve-wracking than New York Fashion Week. I didn't know if I could blend in well with the fashion industry in Vietnam as I've been away from home for too long. I knew no one there except for Trang Le, the busiest woman who founded the fashion week. But things went well in the end and I was so glad that I made a decision to attend this event at the last minute.

This year, I was not only a show-goer but also a contributor to a successful fashion week. It was my honor to be given an opportunity to lead their social media channels. Being the face behind VIFW's online images is challenging and fulfilling at the same time. It requires me to come up with relevant, engaging, and interesting content as fast as possible from 9am to 1am every day. Ironically, it took me only 5 minutes to compose an English paragraph, but 30 minutes to create a Vietnamese one. I hope I didn't sound silly after all and you enjoyed following the #VIFW journey with us on Facebook & Instagram.

On the opening night of VIFW, I wanted to make a bold statement so I chose this ASOS sequin colorful jumpsuit. It was the brightest and loudest outfit I've worn to date and to be completely honest, it wasn't my favorite choice. But guess what? Everyone I met that night loved my outfit including Harper's Bazaar Vietnam, SaoStar, Kenh14, and a few others.

Perhaps, a striking outfit can speak louder than any whistle to get everyone's attention. I learned that on this trip.

THE SHOW

Vietnamese fashion designer, Nguyen Cong Tri opened VIFW with his Haute Couture collection called "Lua" aka Paddy, featuring 41 looks in total. His collection inspired by a paddy field and Lanh My A, a rare traditional fabric in Southern Vietnam.  

My favorite look from his collection! 

Fashion designer Joe Chia from Malaysia presented his "Chapter 9" collection on the first day of VIFW. If you love monochromatic style, you'll be obsessed with his designs. 

Closing day 1 of VIFW was a special collaborative collection between Harper's Bazaar Vietnam with Vietnamese- Amercian designer Cory Tran. 

Besides Cory Tran's East-meet-West collection, the appearance of Victoria's Secret's model Sessilee Lopez on the runway was truly a highlight of his entire show. 

Day 1 of VIFW ended with a bang. But wait until you see day 2, 3 and 4. 

I shall be back! 

Thank you so much for reading! 

Photos by Street by Chanh, Navian Photography, Harper's Bazaar Vietnam, Kenh14, SaoStar. 

::Outfit::

ASOS sequin jumpsuit (old)

Salvatore Ferragamo handbag

Alexander McQueen sunglass

Asos choker

Zara shoes- Similar here 

 Meals are the most important part of the family's daily activities. Like many other families in Vietnam, we love family bonding time over a meal. We try to have lunch and dinner at home together. This was our sumptuous gathering dinner before New Year. Trust me, on a regular day, we don't cook this much. It doesn't matter what we eat, it's the time that we can sit down and enjoy a meal together that matters. 

Never leave Vietnam without trying a bowl of Pho. You can choose to eat Beef noodle (Pho bo) or Chicken noodle (Pho ga). They taste wonderful!

My days in Vietnam are pretty laid-back. It's either I would stay at home and play with my nephew or I would go out shopping for New Year with my mom and dad. A beautiful sunset on the day I went out with my Mom.

Fresh peach blossoms at every house. The blossom tree is an iconic symbol of Lunar New Year in Vietnam. It's said to bring wealth and happiness. To my family, the blossom tree is not only a must-have item for New Year, but also reminds us of our old and sad story.

On New Year days, we'll bring Miu to the park, take family photos, and visit our relatives and friend's houses. The routine stays the same every year, but we never get bored of it.

I guess it doesn't matter where I am or what I do, it's who I am with and I know I'm happiest whenever I am with my family.

Besides lotuses, blossom flowers, and bamboos, star fruits which are seen in many villages in Vietnam, also have a special meaning to us. It's a part of the lesson that we first learn in the school. It's a playground of many kids in the countryside. It reminds us of home and our childhood memory. I can't think of anything more appropriate to end this blog post than the photo of the real starfruit tree that I captured at my grandma's house. Its image always stays in my heart.

I'd like to welcome you home with me through a short video clip that I filmed during my trip. Hope you like it.

Thank you so much for reading and watching!