Fashion

Sitting with the Guild Team at NYFW A/W 2019: Exclusive Interview with Designer Cong Tri

Sitting with the Guild Team at NYFW A/W 2019: Exclusive Interview with Designer Cong Tri February 16, 2019
Cong Tri Guild Magazine FW19 New York FASHION WEEK FEBRUARY2019
NYFW F/W 2019 - Cong Tri © Dan Lecca

“Each woman gleams like a dazzling star, brightening up the mind of her precious someone. I love seeing my women dressed in glamour and the allure of ball gowns, exuding their charm and poise like shining stars on the red carpet.”

Fashion designer Nguyen Cong Tri is paving the way for couture in Vietnam one step at a time. With a high-profile international clientele and a long list of Vietnamese social icons, Cong Tri’s debut on New York Fashion Week’s global stage had been highly anticipated. World class stars like Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Gwen Stefani are just a few of his famous clients. In 2014, Nguyen was the first Vietnamese member acknowledged by the Asia Couture Federation, with 2016 seeing the launch of his luxury label Cong Tri. The designer continues to champion the growth of the industry in Vietnam by mentoring new talent and encouraging young designers.

The Guild Team had the opportunity to preview Nguyen’s exquisite collection during an exclusive backstage walkthrough before his runway show on Monday, February 11th 2019 at Spring Studios. Cong Tri is a brand that shines with glamour, elegance, and drama; the gowns boasting with meticulous details and true craftsmanship. We also caught up with the 41-year-old designer twenty minutes before his show, when the excitement and emotions of what was to come were running high, and he was eager to speak to us about his road to New York Fashion Week.

  • Who is the Cong Tri Woman?

She’s a woman that’s very confident and ready to shine. I encourage women to be icons and to unveil their inner magnetism.

  • How long has NYFW been a dream of yours?

I began my career fifteen years ago, and I have continued to build up to this moment — step by step. New York has always been on my mind since the beginning.

  • There is a lot of buzz about your techniques. The hand painting, precious jewels and iron on pleating, to name a few. Will we be seeing some of these techniques today on the runway?

All of those you mentioned are my signature style, yes. Being that this is my first New York show, I will show this side, but in the future, there  there is much more I would like to continue to show the world. 

  • In 2013, you launched the first house of couture in Vietnam, and you continue to mentor young Vietnamese designers, why is this important to you?

For me, the right way to teach young designers is showing them how to build a business. There is a huge number of talented designers in Vietnam, and I want to guide them the best I can. I want to teach them what I have learned. I have opened the door to many designers by offering a Cong Tri internship so that they can learn the fashion business firsthand. I continue to act as a judge on the Vietnamese versions of international TV reality shows like Project Runway. Step by step I want to keep showing the world more and more of me and what we I can do. – GM

 

“When it comes to fashion, I create meticulously with the playful soul of a child.”

-Nguyen Cong Tri-

NYFW F/W 2019 - Cong Tri © Dan Lecca
NYFW F/W 2019 - Cong Tri © Dan Lecca
NYFW F/W 2019 - Cong Tri © Dan Lecca

Runway show styled by celebrity stylist, Kate Young, with makeup by Hung Vanngo and hair by Brian Buenaventura.

Notable models included, Caroline Trentini,Martha Hunt, Jasmine Tookes, Winnie Harlow, Josephine Skriver, Lais Ribeiro, Cindy Bruna, Shanina Shaikand Jasmine Sanders, among others.

Images courtesy of Cong Tri

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