SUSAN NGUYEN
STUDENT BIO:
I view clothing as a way to express an individual’s personality but at the same time one should feel comfortable wearing the garments. Fashion is not only an accessory to the body but also an expressive and abstract piece of art. It is subjective and personal, hence, one should not feel obliged to dress for anyone but themselves. I want to create pieces of clothing that people would see themselves wearing it and feel confident that they have found garments that speak to their identity. We live in a generation where everyone wants to be heard and seen, and the easiest way to achieve that is through the clothing you wear on a daily basis. I Like to work with different textures in fabrics and creating contrast that is pleasurable to the human eye. Textiles play an important role in my design process and they determine how I would approach a collection and the different techniques that I would want to experiment with. Sometimes, I prefer letting the fabric speak for itself without my intrusion.
COLLECTION STATEMENT:
The Lanterns and Home collection was inspired by my hometown in Vietnam Where I spend a lot of my time in the summer. This collection is very close to my heart because this is the place where I grew up. Hoi An Ancient Town is known for its traditional craftsmanship of lanterns and I want to translate its spirit of somber nights lit by lanterns and the comfort of home into this collection.The choice of a heavy weight cream cotton throughout the collection creates a sense of unification. Its similarity to calico reflects the raw emotions that I feel when I am home paired with gathered details to create volume and silhouette that represents the round lanterns. This collection offers a new contemporary feel with a mix of different types of fabrics from heavy weight cotton, a warm knitted wool blend to the delicate touch of organza and silk.
