This is an excerpt from Designer Spotlight Asia in MEGA’s July 2025 issue
About half a year ago, the Insta-famous fashion critic and influencer @ideservecouture featured Vietnamese designer Thai Huy, highly praising his latest collection. Huy’s following had already been growing exponentially, thanks in large part to famous names like Jourdan Dunn wearing his clothing in i2023. Huy and his work, whose namesake label THAIHUY has been his dream since he was 10 years old, have been featured in the press around the world.
“I grew up in Vietnam watching my mother get dressed every day with a sense of elegance that seemed magical to me. She, alongside cultural icons like Lady Gaga, inspired me to believe in the transformative power of fashion. I initially studied fashion in Vietnam, but I chose to leave university in my junior year to carve out my creative path. That decision marked the beginning of my journey as an independent designer committed to building something meaningful, emotional, and visually impactful,” begins Huy. The designer’s values are rooted in “memory, craftsmanship and cultural respect.”
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“THAIHUY began in a very organic, almost accidental way. I was working on small personal projects when some Hollywood stylists and artists reached out, wanting to borrow or purchase my garments. That moment gave me the push I needed to launch my namesake brand officially. It was never about launching big; it was about crafting something true to myself and letting the energy build naturally. Over time, THAIHUY grew quietly but powerfully, gaining recognition through word of mouth and artistic collaboration,” explains Huy.
His designs are heavily influenced by the aesthetics of the 1920s, including cinema and sculpture. The sculptural elements are easily identifiable in his designs, which also feature motifs such as spiders, sunlight, feathers and mother-of-pearl. These motifs are frequently seen in early 20th-century artwork, and THAIHUY reinterprets them through techniques like structured pleating and web-like weaving.
THAIHUY specializes in “emotionally driven, tailored womenswear.” The designer aims to reinvent classical forms through a contemporary lens. Vintage silhouettes, the aforementioned architectural structures, and cinematic softness influence him. “I draw inspiration from everywhere. I’m especially influenced by the emotional storytelling of visual artists and the transformative tailoring of legendary designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Mugler. My visual world blends Art Deco-era geometry with poetic modernity.”
He adds, “It starts with a feeling, always. I usually work from emotional themes or visual atmospheres, like a film still, a dance moment or a memory from home. I sketch freely, then source fabrics that speak to that mood. From there, [my team and I] prototype, drape, rework and refine.”
Huy further explains that the THAIHUY woman is unapologetic about her femininity, celebrating self-expression, identity, and freedom through fashion. “At its core, THAIHUY is about finding beauty in complexity, about honoring softness and strength, past and future, all at once.”
Read more about Thai Huy’s approach to his craft in MEGA’s June 2025 issue now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
Images courtesy of THAIHUY
