The designer created the collection drawing from childhood memories of riding on his mother's bicycle, wrapped in a raincoat, watching raindrops fall. Nguyen Phuc Tuan spent months exploring the ancient capital, finding inspiration in the sight of rain on the tiled roofs and city walls of historic buildings.

He divided the collection into three chapters, representing Hue before a rainstorm, during the rain, and when the sky brightens again. The color palette transitions from white and black to moss green and beige, then to light purple, yellow, and white. The fashion house primarily used Bao Loc silk, combined with velvet, organza, taffeta, feathers, and crystals. The intricate embellishments on the gowns were handcrafted by skilled artisans, with some pieces taking two months to complete.

Two dress designs from the collection will be introduced by Nguyen Phuc Tuan at the show on 30/9 at Maison de l’Amerique Latine.

Nguyen Phuc Tuan also incorporated the image of the narcissus flower, with its fragile, fleeting beauty yet long-lasting fragrance. This motif weaves through the bodice and shoulders, symbolizing that beauty always emerges after the rain.

He sketched the collection by hand to preserve the emotional essence, rather than relying on computer software. Among the 23 designs, Phuc Tuan created one dress based on the familiar image of his mother's raincoat. Many evening gowns were stylized from the traditional 'ao yem' (Vietnamese bodice), using crystals and sequins to re-create images of Truong Tien Bridge, Thien Mu Pagoda, or the Eiffel Tower and Versailles Palace - symbols of France.

Nguyen Phuc Tuan chose Paris for his show due to perceived similarities in architecture and culture between the two regions, evident in many Hue structures from the Nguyen dynasty era.

The fashion house preparing to transport garments to France.

Designer Nguyen Phuc Tuan, 32 years old, is from Hue city and was born into a family with Nguyen dynasty lineage. He pursued architecture before transitioning to fashion nearly 10 years ago. He has contributed to costume design for films such as "Gai Gia Lam Chieu V", "Biet Doi Rat On", and "Bo Tu Bao Thu". He has also launched personal collections including "Thu Quyen Ru", "Em, Hue Pluie", and "Queen Tea".

His strength lies in form construction and haute couture hand embellishments. Earlier this year, Nguyen Phuc Tuan debuted his "Nguoi Dau Yeu" collection, inspired by the narcissus flower. This collection has been worn by celebrities like Ho Ngoc Ha, Le Quyen, My Tam, Ly Nha Ky, Thanh Thuy, Thien An, Ky Duyen, Quynh Anh, Van Mai Huong, and Huong Tram at events. Recently, Miss Emoura Pham and Bao Ngoc chose his gowns for Miss Grand International 2026 and the 73rd Miss World respectively.

Nguyen Phuc Tuan shares his fashion design inspiration.

Tan Cao

Photos, video: Designer provided