STYLE LEADER: Lê Thị Quỳnh Trang, founder and chairwoman of Vietnam International Fashion Week. Photo courtesy of Multimedia JSC

Lê Thị Quỳnh Trang, CEO of Multimedia JSC, is one of the pioneers in Việt Nam’s fashion industry. A decade ago, Trang established the Việt Nam International Fashion Week (VIFW) to bring Vietnamese fashion to the world and the world’s fashion to Việt Nam. Trang tells Phương Mai about the future of VIFW and Vietnamese fashion.

Inner Sanctum: What are your thoughts on the decade-long journey of establishing and developing VIFW?

VIFW was first launched in 2014. Today, when looking back on the decade-long journey, I am so proud that we have contributed to bringing a new face to Vietnamese fashion.

Việt Nam was only known as a clothing manufacturing factory for global brands many years ago. But now the world sees and acknowledges the huge potential of Việt Nam’s fashion industry, thanks to the Vietnamese designers’ collections presented at the first Aquafina Việt Nam International Fashion Week.

I feel so grateful to earn such achievements. Besides my efforts, I’m fortunate to have the companionship and support of designers, fashion brands, and partners. We work together toward a common goal of putting Việt Nam on the world fashion map.

Inner Sanctum: Did you face challenges at the beginning of the journey and what are key factors of VIFW's success?

When we started VIFW, the biggest challenge was that we did not yet have brands known in the international market. So how could we attract the world’s attention to Việt Nam’s fashion market?

I always believe that in every obstacle, there is an opportunity. And VIFW's opportunity was that we had favourable factors including abundant human resources and raw materials, and particularly many talented designers to create competitive differentiation with international designers and brands.

Inner Sanctum: What achievements are you most proud of?

First, I’m proud that due to VIFW, more Vietnamese designers and brands have been publicly recognised. It does not stop there. The fashion week offers Vietnamese designers and brands opportunities to introduce their collections to the international market. We can see that global stars show their interest in creations by Vietnamese designer, and choose to wear them at the world’s leading events. Many Vietnamese brands signed contracts worth millions of US dollars with VIFW’s international partners.

In addition, due to maintaining professionalism in event production, VIFW is recognised by experts as the leading fashion week in Southeast Asia and ranks fourth in Asia after the Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai fashion weeks. The recognition is a source of pride and motivation for us to create more value for the Vietnamese fashion industry.

Inner Sanctum: What is your development plan for VIFW in the next decade?

A decade ago, when we started VIFW, we aspired to put Việt Nam on the world’s fashion map by telling the stories of designers. There will be a bigger story in the next decade. It is about promoting Vietnamese fashion brands with global chain stores. Our future vision is to gradually turn Việt Nam from a clothing manufacturer into a country with a developed fashion industry.

It’s not easy to make it come true, and I know there will be challenges ahead. However, “If everyone chooses easy work, who will get hard work?”. I hope with all our supporters and companions, we together will help the Vietnamese fashion industry step into a new brighter chapter in the next decade.

Inner Sanctum: How do you envision the future of Việt Nam’s fashion industry? What should it do to go global?

As I said above, Việt Nam has competitive advantages of labour, raw materials, talented designers, and particularly the government’s favourable policies for the garment sector. I believe we stand a great chance of building a 'true’ fashion industry in the future. However, by going global, many things need to be changed, from planning to operations, and management to link chains in the industry. It is necessary to strengthen coordination between government agencies and businesses and individuals working in the industry.

Grasping world trends is also extremely important because we must follow the world's flow to keep up with the market and meet its requirements. Therefore, in 2024, we collaborated with the WGSN, the world’s leading consumer trend forecaster providing global trend insights, to host a seminar for Vietnamese designers, businesses, and brands to help them see future customer trends and build effective development plans.

One more important thing, we must have a fashion association of Việt Nam closely connected with fashion associations of countries in the region and the world. The association is not only a representative of Vietnamese designers and brands together with all individuals and organisations working in the fashion industry.

It is also an essential link to fashion organisations and associations worldwide that help to bring cooperation opportunities to Vietnamese brands and introduce them to the international market. This is our plan in 2025, and I hope to gain everybody’s support so that the Việt Nam Fashion Association will be established soon.

FASHION FRIENDS: Lê Thị Quỳnh Trang (1st left) with Italian partners – Ambassador of Italy to Việt Nam Marco Della Seta (2nd left), Italian Consul General in HCM City Enrico Padula (1st right) and his wife (2nd right) celebrating the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Consulate General of Italy. Photo courtesy of Multimedia JSC

Inner Sanctum: How could Việt Nam develop an environmentally friendly and sustainable fashion industry?

In recent years, sustainable development has become not only an issue of concern but also one of the top priority issues in several countries. Sustainable development comes from different factors, from sustainability in raw materials to compliance with environmentally friendly treatment systems and processes. And even preserving cultural identity is also a sustainable factor.

To build an environmentally friendly and sustainable fashion industry, it’s necessary to set a clear direction and have time to change and adapt. Therefore, every time we launch VIFW, we always try to seek different stories, perspectives and inspirations about sustainable development to support and guide designers to the path to sustainability.

Inner Sanctum: What advice would you offer to Vietnamese designers and brands to approach the international market?

As I said above, fashion has the potential and opportunity to become a key industry in Việt Nam in the future. We have many creative designers. And every designer and brand needs to get a proper perspective of promoting unique Vietnamese cultural traits with their creations.

In addition, Vietnamese designers and brands must regularly improve their knowledge of the world's fashion trends. The fashion market is highly competitive and challenging, but if you have your own way and your own creations, there is always a chance for you to reach the international market.

The Aquafina Việt Nam International Fashion Week has been a launchpad for many Vietnamese designers and brands to approach and develop in the international market, such as designers Công Trí and Thủy Nguyễn, and fashion brand Tracy Studio. I believe that with AVIFW, we will see much more success from young talents and new brands from Việt Nam in domestic and international markets in the next decade. VNS