Today we’d like to introduce you to Thai Nguyen.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born in My Tho, Vietnam in 1980. I’m an only child. Back then, my parents had a private sewing school in Saigon, Vietnam. And that’s how I was exposed to design and tailoring. I learned how to sew at the age of 9yr old. 1993, I came to Olympia, WA with my parents. 2000 I attended FIDM in Los Angeles. Graduated in 2002 and got accepted to the Advanced Fashion Design program at FIDM and graduated again in 2003. Worked for BCBG from 2003 – 2006. While working for BCBG during the day, I was making costumes for Vietnamese Concerts and Music Videos at night. 2008, I decided to open my studio in Little Saigon, Orange County specializing custom-made to order for all special occasions including Bridal, Áo Dài (Vietnamese traditional garments), and red carpet looks. As a minority independent Vietnamese American designer, I want to be realistic to work, learn, make all the mistakes, and grow within my community, a smaller community with more room to grow. I didn’t have the connections, experiences, nor the financial to start something on my own in the mainstream according to industry standards. I have to be smart in following my passion, express my talents, but must be able to survive at the same time. The mentality of an immigrant. I want to work and follow my passion to achieve my dreams for my own brand and not for any other brands. Little Saigon have raised and nurtured me and my brand for over a decade and I am so grateful for that.
Once I have established an atelier/showroom in Costa Mesa with solid Vietnamese diaspora clientele, then I decided to do a crossover and placed my designs to all major red carpets and A-list celebrities including Jlo, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry… with the help of my PR team who believed in me and let me keep my name Thai Nguyen Atelier. Before that, for a very long time, many people in the mainstream industry asked me to change my name to make it less Vietnamese to get my attractions and easier to be accepted. I didn’t change my name nor adding an American first name when I got my US citizenship at 18, and I didn’t want to change name for anyone or any industries’ convenience. Yet, they kept reminding me to be authentic to myself and my identity.
Last year, I got casted to be a host, fashion expert, fashion designer aka fairygownmother Thai Nguyen the first Vietnamese American TV Host on Netflix’s “Say I Do”. It’s definitely a life-changing moment in my wildest dream. I am living the American dream. People got to see who I am as a person and a designer. I am so blessed and grateful that I can use my passion and talent to do something good and meaningful for deserving couples. And that what life is all about learning from my parents who have sacrificed so much for me to be in America, the land of opportunities with hope and dreams.
But most recently, I had the opportunity to dress Vietnamese American Actress Kelly Marie Tran (First Southeast Asia Disney Princess) in an Áo Dài for Raya and the last dragon virtual red carpet premiere. That was my ah ha moment! The proudest moment of my life that I get to share the stage with Kelly as Vietnamese American wearing our beautiful traditional garments. It’s an iconic moment to represent our culture and heritage and hope for our younger generations. We belong here! And we are proud to be Vietnamese Americans.
My parents have taught me about hardworking, perseverance, resilience, and nothing is free to achieve all of my dreams. I am grateful that I get to do what I love everyday. I am very blessed and truly happy with my life with the support from my family, colleagues, friends and an amazing partner my boyfriend Kevin of 14 years. I just want to live a comfortable life, be happy, be humble, be kind, and continue to create beautiful things for beautiful people all the world in this beautiful life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There is no such thing as a smooth road to beginning with. But I have very blessed and fortunate with amazing opportunities because I have surrounded myself with great people, great mentors, great colleagues, and great friends who I can learn with. Most importantly, I have a great foundation with my family to know the meaning of hard-working and be kind. A strong and solid foundation have kept me grounded, be realistic and helped me find ways to be an artist and entrepreneur. But of course, being a minority Vietnamese American and queer 10years ago were very difficult on many levels. But time changes and culture changes. I am now feeling so blessed and so proud to be a queer Vietnamese American. Throughout my journey, I have created for myself a formula to live by and I think it has worked well for me. My formula is 30% talent, 30% opportunities, 30% work hard, and 10% appreciate who helped you along the way, be grateful and be kind. Talent will be unnoticed without opportunities. Opportunities will fade if you don’t show up, work hard, and finish the job. Talent, opportunities, and hard work will not get you anywhere if no one wants to work with you.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a fashion designer for my own brand Thai Nguyen Atelier. My brand is specializing in custom-made-order for all special occasions including weddings, life events, concerts, tv shows, and red carpet.
I am also a TV personality/host aka “fairygownmother” will show up to amplify and elevate goodness all around.
I am a proud unapologetic queer Vietnamese American with an authentic name given by my parents Thái Nguyễn.
Throughout the whole journey, I have found and owned my identity as a person, my signature style for my designs, and my happiness to be alive in this world and that is what set myself apart. I am not here to compete with anyone. I am here to do what I can to create beautiful things for beautiful people in this beautiful world.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
According to my life formula, luck or opportunities play 30% in my life! You need luck and opportunities for any career choice. But luck and opportunities will come to you according to who you are as a human being. It’s how you lived in your past lifetime and your current life. I believe in karma.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.thainguyenatelier.com or www.tnatelier.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thainguyenatelier/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thainguyencollections
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thainatelier
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcHQ-bYUhovgE4rBN9gY6zQ
Image Credits:
Jeff Vespa – profile photo in pink jacket Netflix – 8 photos
