LACQUERED IN LIGHT: The Rise of Vietnamese Designer Phan Dang Hoang
A deep dive into his SS26 collection — inspired by Vietnamese lacquer art — and his cultural mission.
Ho Chi Minh City hums with warm electricity — a city of movement, texture, and color. When I stepped into Phan Dang Hoang’s showroom during my recent visit, guided by brand manager Tino, the atmosphere felt like an extension of the designer’s work: layered, quiet, radiant.
As a stylist who has attended his last two Milan Fashion Week shows, I thought I understood his vision. But seeing his creations in their home environment — surrounded by the cultural sensitivity that shaped them — gave me a deeper appreciation of the world he is building.
I tried on three looks: one archival showroom-only pieces and two from his newest collection. All three revealed the signature Hoang tension I’ve come to admire: heritage woven into contemporary form, stillness balanced with movement, simplicity glowing with depth.
Below is my full conversation with the designer.
𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐎𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐎𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
A Conversation with Phan Dang Hoang
You studied in Milan and then returned to Vietnam — what motivated that decision?
As a Vietnamese designer, I’ve always felt that my brand should begin where my roots are. In recent years, Vietnam has also become an exciting destination for young Asian shoppers seeking contemporary design, so returning home felt both natural and necessary.
𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐎𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
Your new collection LACQUER draws inspiration from lacquer painting and artist Nguyễn Gia Trí. What aspects of his art inspired you the most?
“Lacquer” is inspired by painter Nguyễn Gia Trí — the pioneer who elevated traditional lacquer into the language of modern art. To him, lacquer was never merely decorative; it was an art of silence, depth, refinement, and devotion.
In that same spirit, I wanted to honor timeless beauty and reaffirm the value of craftsmanship — work shaped by time, patience, and human hands. Just like lacquer, each piece in the collection is built layer by layer, requiring meticulous care to achieve its depth and unique radiance.
𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐎𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
Lacquer art involves layering and patience. How did you translate that process into fabric and form?
Materials were selected with great intention, and each garment is not only constructed but “polished.” Every detail, every layer of fabric sits atop another like successive coats of lacquer — repeated, refined, and built through many stages. The result is a composition that captures light while holding the quiet depth of classical lacquer paintings.
𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐎𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
You presented LACQUER at Milan Fashion Week SS26 — how did that experience shape your perspective on Vietnamese fashion abroad?
It strengthened my desire to contribute to a broader global understanding of Vietnamese fashion — a vision that preserves our identity while moving confidently in step with the international fashion landscape.
𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐎𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
How do you balance Vietnamese heritage with Western aesthetics in your designs?
Each design begins with essential artistic forms rooted in Vietnamese sensibilities. Through material choices, structure, and intricate construction techniques, these forms are reinterpreted in a contemporary way. That’s how I continue the dialogue between East and West — grounded in heritage, expressed through modernity.
𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐎𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
Do you think Asian designers still need to “prove” themselves internationally, or is that narrative changing?
Asian fashion is steadily asserting its place on the global stage. Instead of feeling the need to “prove” ourselves, I believe this is the moment to keep building on what we’ve achieved, continue evolving, and push the conversation forward.
𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐎𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
What emotion do you hope people feel from LACQUER?
No matter how society changes, values shaped by time, dedication, and craftsmanship will always endure.
Like lacquer: the more it is polished, the brighter it becomes — the quieter it rests, the deeper it grows.
Nguyễn Gia Trí - Landscape (1939)
Outside of fashion, what inspires you?
Music — I usually listen to Adele while designing.
𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐎𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
Why This Moment Matters for Asian Fashion
Hoang is part of a new generation of Asian designers who no longer create with the desire to “prove” themselves to the West — they create with purpose, identity, and vision. His work bridges modernity and heritage in a way that resonates globally.
Vietnam’s design landscape is expanding rapidly, and this is only the beginning. I am already scheduled to visit another designer on my next trip — and I can’t wait to keep spotlighting the creative voices shaping the future of Asian fashion.
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