Lan Vy Nguyen
The interview in both Vietnamese and English pulled me in with unique, extraordinary ideas…She seems to have a strong energy and always put her mind into work while she only have one meal per day and coffee is inseparable. She has brought the fashion of F4F to many countries in the world.
What brings you, an entrepreneur, to dabble in fashion?
When I was in university, I followed Finance to ease the burden on my family. When my job is finally stabled, the old passion came back and I decided to do the same. My choice of the fashion that emphasizes the skills of the artisans is also because of this passion.
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Handmade accessories designed by F4F.
What inspired you to come up with the campaign “Redefining luxury”?
The image of my country wherever I go, so its unique value must be represented.
“Redefining luxury” does not mean making expensive products, but rather considering the values of the artisan who made them. The competition comes from the talent instead of the place or the name of its creator.
Since the product of F4F is highly unique, is it true that it won’t be easy to “copy”?
Yes, the more complex and cherished the products, the harder they are to imitate.
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How come F4F already has many famous and luxurious products but they are not well known in Hue?
In fashion, many Vietnamese tends to look outside the country, they see values in things not often seen. If our products can get them interested, they will come to learn more about their history, how they came to be.
I started out doing this for passion, so developing a brand wasn’t high on my list. However, in the near future, F4F will hold an exhibition right here in hue to increase awareness toward our brand.
Is there anything else other than profit and maintaining the craft in your goal of gaining a worthy place for the Vietnamese craftsmen?
I want to give the craft villages a chance so they can stand up on their own feet. When it is done, they will in turn help other villages. Specifically, I want to introduce a more effective business model to them though training, enhancing their artistry and finding markets for the products
A product of F4F usually requires the collaboration of various craft villages to finish. The artisans have to come together, discuss and exchange their ideas so they can cooperate in harmony.
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In the future, are there any other plans to expand your business and operations?
F4F is my love and my home. Our Creative Director is a British doctoral student in the UK, after 2 years of collaboration I came to like the way she works with the artisans to design for F4F. In fact, designers can further improve themselves learning from the artisans. Masters and PhD students in this field should come to the craft villages when they have a chance, to learn and to cherish the value of craft villages.
I think this can become a new trend, and F4F have already welcomed some “interns” to the villages.
Thank you so much for your time and May F4F become an even more successful.
“Each design of F4F is a combination of efforts from many people and went through modifications at least 5 times. One time at an exhibition in Singapore, a curious partner wondered why the similar method failed in India while F4F managed to craft such magnificent products. The difference was in encouraging the artisans to try new models, and they still get paid even if it fails.
Author: L.Tue