Young man spends 180 million VND to turn Hue royal palace into fashion inspiration

(Dan Tri) - Overcoming mental and financial pressure, designer Lac spent 180 million VND on the graduation collection "Rain on the Capital", which was chosen by Huong Giang and runner-up Quynh Anh to perform.

Designer Lac (real name Nguyen Minh Duc) is one of the young faces attracting attention in the Vietnamese fashion design industry.

In a conversation with Dan Tri reporter, he shared his journey of perseverance from initial failures to his first success in the Vietnamese fashion design industry. From his immature drawings, his failures in competitions, to honing his skills through small projects, he has constantly strived to assert his own style.

Designer Lac, real name Nguyen Minh Duc, is considered one of the outstanding young faces in the Vietnamese fashion design industry.

From being rejected in many competitions to a prominent young face in the fashion industry

Born into a family with many generations of artists, designer Lac showed his talent for singing, dancing and painting from a young age. However, instead of following in his grandparents' footsteps, he unexpectedly found a strong passion for fashion.

“When I was young, I never thought of pursuing this career, because I thought fashion was only for women. It wasn’t until high school, when I was encouraged to try designing dresses for my friends, that I realized my true passion,” he shared.

From the first dress he sewed with an old sewing machine for his classmate, the young man gradually nurtured his love for fashion. During his time in high school, he worked part-time at a photography studio in Thanh Hoa , personally preparing costumes for photo shoots. That experience helped him hone his skills and affirm his own path.

Designer Lac in conversation with Dan Tri reporter.

Although he intended to study journalism or law, Lac decided to study Fashion Design at Hanoi University of Architecture. The turning point came when he majored in fashion in his second year of university and started participating in national costume design competitions.

Despite failing many design competitions, he did not give up. “I failed several times because of my naive drawings and lack of experience. But those failures helped me learn, hone my skills and persevere in pursuing my passion,” he recalls.

After many efforts, Lac's design finally entered the top 15 of Miss Grand Vietnam, opening up opportunities for him to develop larger collections.

The biggest mark in the young designer's creative journey is his graduation collection Rain on the Capital . Inspired by Hue royal architecture combined with images of rain and storms, the Gen Z designer unexpectedly "stormed" the online community with a project that was highly appreciated for its aesthetic and cultural depth.

From the sketches, designer Lac put all his heart into every design detail.

From the details of the archway, royal motifs to the image of tornadoes and raindrops, he conveys his concerns about the fragility of heritage in the face of natural disasters, while emphasizing the value of conservation.

Conquer Vietnamese stars with a collection inspired by the Hue royal court

With the graduation collection Rain on the Capital , designer Lac has achieved great success. Closing the journey of more than 4 years of studying at Hanoi University of Architecture and 3 months of working hard on the emotional graduation project, Lac was extremely happy to receive the result of 9.52 points - Valedictorian of the graduation project of Fashion Design course 20.

Designer Lac is completing costumes for models to perform in the graduation show (Photo: Character provided).

Guided by instructor Mr. Nguyen Tri Dung, he also won the Excellent Graduation Project Award in the Digital Creativity category at the Graduation Project Exhibition of Applied Arts Club members.

The collection includes evening gown designs for women aged 18 to 25, inspired by the artistic beauty of architectural works in Hue, combining heritage spirit with modern creativity.

This success also opened up opportunities to collaborate with famous artists. Designer Lac once attracted attention when Miss Huong Giang chose one of his designs for Miss International Queen Vietnam 2025, marking an important step in the creative journey and affirming the young designer's name.

Miss Huong Giang wears a design from the collection "Rain on the capital" at Miss International Queen Vietnam 2025 (Photo: Character provided).

The costume chosen by Miss Huong Giang was inspired by the noble and elegant beauty of Queen Nam Phuong, the symbol of beauty and style of the Nguyen Dynasty. The shape was stylized from the ao dai and cloak - two elements associated with her image - creating a look that is both soft and graceful, honoring the beauty of Asian women.

Not only impressive in appearance, the journey to get this outfit to Huong Giang also left many memories for designer Lac. About 7 months ago, her stylist wanted to borrow the design from Rain on the Capital to attend an event.

However, at that time, the outfit was on display at the exhibition and was almost impossible to take out. Because Huong Giang and her team especially loved this design, Lac flexibly asked the exhibition organizers for permission to borrow another similar outfit to replace it.

“The moment Huong Giang appeared on stage with her designs, I clearly felt the belief: Creativity is not only to assert oneself, but also to let others find oneself through every needle and thread,” he said.

Runner-up Hoang Oanh appeared radiant in a design inspired by the rain on Hue communal house roofs (Photo: Character provided).

Not only Huong Giang, the designs in the Rain on the Capital collection by Lac were also chosen by many beauties. First runner-up Miss Vietnam Hoang Oanh and first runner-up Quynh Anh - first runner-up Miss Universe Vietnam - both appeared gorgeously in beauty events with exclusive designs, honoring the cultural values ​​of Hue royal art.

Among them, the memory that the young man will always remember is the collaboration with runner-up Quynh Anh. The dress was originally prepared for a normal contestant, but this person withdrew at the last minute and Quynh Anh was invited to replace him. The costume weighed up to 30kg, and had to be put on right before going on stage, making him extremely nervous.

“At that time, I was so worried that I couldn’t breathe, afraid that the dress would be too heavy and make it difficult for me to move,” Lac said. But it was Quynh Anh’s encouragement that gave me strength: “Don’t worry, I will try to make the outfit shine.” That professionalism and dedication helped him relieve some of the pressure, adding confidence to the creative journey ahead.

He shared: “I am very touched when I see beauty queens and celebrities wearing my clothes. It is not only a personal joy but also an opportunity for the fashion story to spread to more people.”

I used to be depressed and had insomnia because of the project.

To achieve success and be trusted by famous artists, Lac's path was not easy. The graduation collection Rain on the Capital alone cost him 180 million VND, a figure far exceeding the initial estimate of 120 million VND.

“The main costs are for the materials used for the embellishments, gemstones and the workmanship. Many sets had to be changed quickly, so the materials purchased in advance could no longer be used. I had to borrow money from many places to have enough money,” designer Lac admitted.

He said that exploration and experimentation are indispensable research steps in his design process.

Rain on the Capital includes 6 designs with nostalgic colors. Lac said he was inspired by royal architecture, phoenix tail motifs, palace roofs, enamel patterns or the famous painting of Nine Dragons Hidden in the Clouds in Khai Dinh Tomb... to incorporate into the costumes using many techniques of weaving, embroidery, hand painting, and detailed carving on the fabric.

Each design uses different materials and processing techniques, but remains consistent in color, mainly black, metallic and bronze tones to highlight the royal patterns.

The designs were meticulously crafted by him over 500 hours, combining many sophisticated manual techniques. The Ao Dai skirt is made up of hundreds of heat-cut squares, connected into unique decorative motifs, then it takes many more hours to attach thousands of sparkling crystals, creating a moving light effect with each step.

The details of the palace roof and enamel are vividly recreated, running along the cloak like a "rain of light" pouring down, evoking a shimmering slice from the glorious past of the capital Hue.

Financial pressure is only part of it. Throughout the project, Lac also had to face countless mental challenges: insomnia, materials that were not as expected, and an unstable budget. According to Lac, he was lucky to have a family - especially his mother - who was always there to share, take care of meals, and encourage his son not to give up.

“My mother often goes to Hanoi for medical treatment but still stays with me. Even though her health is not good, she still helps me, cooking and helping me prepare things. She always reminds me not to put too much pressure on myself, just do my best. Thanks to that, I don’t feel lonely,” he emotionally said.

Becoming valedictorian with a collection that was considered the most invested, designer Lac not only achieved success but also learned many lessons: knowing how to balance emotions, not being too perfectionist and keeping his spirit strong. “Money can be earned, techniques can be learned, but if the spirit is lost, nothing can be done,” he said.

Continuing on his creative journey, the young designer cherishes the dream of building his own fashion brand.

Looking to the future, Lac wishes to continue pursuing the Haute Couture line, a style that is both luxurious, exquisitely crafted, and highly practical. His biggest dream is to build his own brand when he has accumulated enough potential and experience, combining heritage, Hue culture, traditional fine arts with modern techniques such as 3D, gold plating and high-end embellishment.

“Vietnamese fashion is developing strongly, young people have many opportunities. I think the greatest responsibility of a designer is not only to create beauty, but also to convey cultural and spiritual values ​​to the community,” the young designer expressed.

Photo: Nguyen Ha Nam

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/chang-trai-chi-180-trieu-dong-bien-cung-dinh-hue-thanh-cam-hung-thoi-trang-20250917171351983.htm