Vietnamese fashion is steadily making its mark on the global stage – a fact that no longer surprises many observers. We are increasingly witnessing designs by Vietnamese creators accompanying major stars across Asia, Europe, and North America on red carpets and runways. However, Vietnamese fashion today is far more than fleeting glamour or high-fashion showcases.
Another interesting development is unfolding: Vietnamese designs are quietly integrating into the everyday wardrobes of international fashion lovers. Denim jeans, T-shirts, and streetwear which carry Vietnamese brand identities, not merely outsourced manufacturing labels – are now available in cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Tokyo, and Taipei, through pop-up stores and online platforms.
At the heart of this movement is Manh Nguyen, founder of Astoud – the first e-commerce platform dedicated to distributing products from over 50 independent Vietnamese fashion brands to a global audience. She is actively cultivating a vibrant Vietnamese fashion community beyond national borders.
Last September, Astoud hosted a pop-up store* in New York, within the framework of New York Fashion Week. The event offered an immersive, multisensory experience for fashion enthusiasts, particularly fans of streetwear. When we spoke with Manh, she was in Taiwan, conducting market research in preparation for Astoud’s next international pop-up event.
Before founding Astoud in Los Angeles, Manh was one of the key figures behind Hidden Archive, a well-known blog among Vietnamese archival fashion aficionados.
*pop-up store: a retail space that opens for a limited time, typically a few days, weeks, or months, to sell products or services.
What fueled your confidence to spotlight Vietnamese fashion internationally?
Because I believe in Vietnamese products.
I take pride in being Asian in general, but it’s clear that each culture possesses its own unique beauty.
When living abroad, I often notice how deeply the Japanese or Koreans take pride in their products. They actively talk about and promote what they create. A great example is Musinsa, a South Korean e-commerce platform that’s been gaining global attention. They don’t indiscriminately sell just any brand, they focus exclusively on Korean labels and distribute them worldwide.
Vietnamese fashion is good enough to claim its own space. I also sense that international markets are eager for new perspectives, and Vietnam can offer that. The problem is, we often lack the confidence and the ecosystem to support a larger-scale global entry.
Every time the idea of going international comes up, I sense a kind of self-doubt: “We’re too small, how can we survive in a vast market?” I know brand founders in Vietnam who’ve been building for 10 or even 15 years, yet still hesitate to think beyond the domestic market.
But after four years running Astoud, working with over 50 brands, and spending the past year and a half moving between cities for pop-up events, I’ve come to believe one thing: A good product will always speak for itself.
Take a pair of jeans and you can instantly tell whether it’s well-made or not. Quality is obvious, it lies in a smooth zipper, dense and durable fabric, clean stitching, and a flattering fit.
Consumers everywhere understand what “quality” looks and feels like. And Vietnamese people deeply understand how to make quality products. It’s no coincidence that Vietnam manufactures denim for brands like Levi’s, Nike, and many other global giants.
And it’s not just me who sees this. My friends in the industry - some of whom have worked in textile production and now run their own brands in Los Angeles, like LTTT (Little Tokyo Table Tennis), have held Vietnamese-made garments in their hands and said: "oh wow, why have I never heard about Vietnamese fashion before?"
Another widespread mindset we need to challenge is the idea that Vietnamese-made goods shouldn’t be priced too high.
But why not?
In Vietnam, a well-made shirt might sell for 700,000 VND (about 30 USD). But in the U.S., $30 is often the price of a secondhand or poor-quality item. Meanwhile, our products are made of 100% cotton, designed to meet high technical standards, and involve intricate cuts and details that require both research and precision. And yet, we’re the ones undervaluing ourselves.
We need to stop being self-conscious. In fact, we should be proud, truly proud of what we’ve already achieved.
Vietnam is no longer just a manufacturing hub. From design and production to branding, marketing, and communications, Vietnamese talent can do it all, and do it well.
Did you host pop-ups because the online platform alone isn’t enough to convey product quality?
Yes, but it goes beyond just proving product quality. What I’m aiming for is much more than sales. I don’t want Astoud to be just a place to shop. For me, the most important goal is to build a community, and pop-up stores are a powerful way to do that.
In countries like South Korea and Japan, fashion brands host pop-up events regularly, not just to sell, but to meet their customers, to have conversations, and to share the stories behind the brand. That’s exactly what I want to do for Vietnamese fashion.
Also, considering that many of these brands don’t yet have their own physical stores, Astoud’s pop-up model offers a way for international customers to experience Vietnamese products firsthand, to hold them, feel the fabric, try them on, and see the creativity and craftsmanship in every detail.
In other words, pop-ups are a way to connect with customers without relying on permanent storefronts.
In fact, when it comes to launching products in international markets, I believe many people want to do it but simply can’t. There are barriers that make it challenging, rather than an outright lack of desire.
Part of the challenge is unfamiliarity with the market.
If I hadn’t spent some time living here and interacting with the local creative community, I too would have hesitated, not knowing where to start despite my strong desire to succeed. For instance, I had to figure out how to ensure that my pop-up events were legally compliant from the beginning, determine the best way to establish local connections, master English communication, and develop the appropriate demeanor.
I firmly believe that you must be bold and persistent. Reach out for assistance, and frankly ask, “Can you do this for me?”
Once you become familiar with people here, speak the local language, and show an eagerness to learn, you will eventually reach your goal.
What has been your most memorable moment after more than four years of developing Astoud?
Definitely the New York pop-up event last September that I organized together with Ryan Sơn Hoàng!
Ryan is a co-founder behind OBJoff, The New District, and The New Playground. In other words, he is my personal “idol”. He has been dedicated to creating collaborative spaces that bring together a multitude of fashion brands, pioneering the formation of a vibrant streetwear community in Vietnam. This is precisely what I aspire to achieve with Vietnamese brands in the United States and other parts of the world.
After nurturing the idea, I decided to reach out to Ryan from the U.S.:
- Hey Ryan, I have a proposal. I know you’ve tackled similar challenges in Vietnam and know how difficult it is, but what do you think about hosting a pop-up event in New York with me?
Not long after, he called back and said:
- Manh, my visa expires in October, so I can come over in September.
So, everything was prepared within just two weeks. The event brought together some of the most creative minds in New York’s underground fashion community.
I looked around and saw my friends in New York wearing Vietnamese clothing, talking about Vietnamese designs, discussing fabrics and silhouettes. And in that moment, I felt more strongly than ever: Vietnamese creatives in fashion are capable of going so much further. The potential has always been there; the only thing missing was someone to take a systematic approach and actually try.
I’ll never forget the moment right after the event ended, Ryan and I jumped up and shouted: “We did it, mom!”
Can you share some of your favorite Vietnamese fashion brands?
Absolutely. Maybe I have to start with Vietnamese denim! There are so many reasons why I believe in both the quality and design innovation of denim made by Vietnamese brands.
Take The Idiot, for example. They create truly distinctive designs, like a pair of jeans without a waistband. They also experiment with a wide variety of washing techniques. Their creative risk-taking makes them stand out.
Brands like The Idiot and Latui Atelier are especially well-received in East Asian and European markets, thanks to their craftsmanship and trend-forward aesthetic.
Another brand I’m deeply proud of is Soulvenir.
It was founded by a Vietnamese designer who spent nearly 15 years living in Seattle, USA, and now runs the Nay Mai store in Saigon. From the very beginning, he launched Soulvenir in Seattle, later joined me for a pop-up event in California, and has since been moving between both locations.
What makes Soulvenir truly special is how it leverages graphic design.
In Vietnam, I haven’t seen any other brand take the same approach. Designing graphics that honor Vietnamese history while maintaining a globally recognized, refined aesthetic is no small feat. It’s a real challenge. Historical elements aren’t always easy to blend with visual appeal, but Soulvenir has done it masterfully.
If you had to choose one word to describe Vietnamese fashion today, what would it be?
Experimental.
Young brands are actively pushing boundaries by blending styles, experimenting with materials, and daring to try new things. But more importantly, they’re aiming for sustainability: creating clothes that can be worn daily, that last for years, regardless of trends.
Maybe this is my own bias. Because before I got into business or community building, I studied Art History.
We often use economic or political events to define historical eras. But I believe fashion and art hold equal power in shaping how an era is remembered. What we wear today may very well become part of the narrative we pass on.
Vietnamese fashion now holds strong potential to reach much further. It's time we truly believe in Vietnamese brands. If we stay forever behind the scenes, merely producing for others, no one will ever mention Vietnam as a name behind original design. But if we dare to try, if we take our own creations to the global market, then the story will change.
Just focus on making something good enough. One day, the world will take notice.
Translated by Gấm Võ