Designer Profile... DUY

When even the most loyal of fashion devotees turn to affordable mall retailers or logo-plastered high-enders to capture the trends of the season, Montreal-based designer Duy Nguyen turns the other way.

Instead, the Vietnamese-born talent finds himself drawing inspiration from London and Paris, where he fell in love with the effortlessly chic styles in the streets and the haute couture standard of tailoring. After living in London for almost two years, he returned to Montreal to pursue his own self-titled line, and design for those looking to invest in high-quality, elegant garments that stand the test of time.

“Well-made clothes are more interesting to me than something that looks spectacular but is poorly made,” Nguyen says.

His passion for sewing and pattern- making has made him a tailoring perfectionist, be it tuxedo-style blazers seen in his spring/summer 2011 collection, or intricate lace dresses seen in his fall/winter 2011 collection. The reappearance of fur, French lace, silk and mohair have made luxurious fabrics his signature.

Formerly working for one of Canada’s top fashion houses, Pink Tartan, Nguyen’s solo debut in the Canadian fashion market took place during Toronto’s biannual LG Fashion Week in October 2010. He won over editors with his flowing silk creations for spring and kept things dramatic with his dark and opulent collection for fall.

Brewery heiress and legendary fashion collector Daphne Guinness acted as Nguyen’s muse for his “Long Live Daphne” fall collection, in which his use of lace stretched into the hair and makeup, covering model’s faces and necks.

Nguyen hopes to take his work to Europe or New York City, and tough economic times haven’t dampened his optimism for creativity as he works on his next collection. He keeps it short when describing what’s to come for spring/summer 2012, saying only to expect “Texas forestry.” Mysterious is exactly the way we like our Duy.

» duycollection.com • 


Photo Courtesy: Duy Nguyen