Alumni
Fashion Design Grad Runs Vietnam Fashion Academy in Ho Chi Minh City
Fashion designer, curator, TV personality, and entrepreneur Huy Vo was born in Bac Lieu, a small town in Vietnam, and raised in Ho Chi Minh City. He first studied abroad in the U.S. at the age of 13, and arrived at FIDM at age 18, to pursue a degree in Fashion Design. He worked in New York City after graduating in 2017, and returned to Vietnam the following year to establish his self-titled brand, later opening the fashion school Vietnam Fashion Academy.
What was it like being an International Student at FIDM? It was fun, but it was also tough at times due to a lot of technical terms and English Composition within the first year. But I didn’t have any major difficulties since I am an outspoken person and easy to connect with.
What did you enjoy most about attending FIDM? The facilities, the environment, and the professors.
Tell us about your life after graduating from FIDM. After FIDM, I moved to New York and interned at Araks, Oscar, and other brands in an assistant designer role. I took a couture course at FIT and then I moved back to Vietnam in 2008 to establish my brand Huy Vo on the Dong Khoi Street - Rue de Catinat, which is like Fifth Avenue in New York. In 2010, I was a judge on season one of Vietnam's Next Top Model.
In 2011, I decided to temporarily shut my brand down and moved back to U.S. for further education and tried out different positions as buyer, fashion editor, and fashion curator in New York for Vietnam magazines. Then back in 2013, I started House of Premiere, an investment organization to manage local talent, industry networks, and retailers for fashion.
Tell us about the Vietnam Fashion Academy in Ho Chi Minh City. In 2014, I launched Fashion Course by Huy Vo, which turned into Vietnam Fashion Academy within 18 months. Vietnam Fashion Academy is a private fashion school that offers a wide range of academic, intensive courses, and full fashion programs. We are extending into Architecture and Interior Design as well.
As the CEO and Founder, I have to maintain the responsibilities of academic programs, daily operations, and oversee different team members and departments. I also oversee the performance of the students, update and upgrade the lecture program monthly, and train our domestic and international professors.
How has your work impacted the fashion industry in Vietnam? The name Huy Vo has built a legit recognition in the Vietnam market for quality of original design, uplifting the local market, and being well-connected with various industries of Vietnam.
Tell us about the Beauty of Yesterday exhibit you organized last year. Beauty of Yesterday was the the first proper fashion exhibition curated by VFA. We brought in more than 100 items from the 1890s to 1990s. The exhibition lasted for seven days with an aim of bringing the historical fashion from Vietnam and the world for the audience to study and research. Each year VFA will partner with different individuals to hold a different theme. We are finalizing the 2020 exhibition now.
Categories: Fashion Design Alumni International
