Fresh Faces: Elena Nguyen
Identity, heritage, and narrative-led collections in Vietnamese fashion
F&M’s Fresh Faces is a series featuring young Southeast Asian fashion practitioners, where we speak with them about how they embarked on their careers and what propels them as creatives.
In Vietnam’s evolving fashion landscape, Elena Nguyen has built a design approach guided by storytelling. Since debuting her eponymous label, ELENA NGN, in 2019 with her graduate collection ‘Bloom’ at London Graduate Fashion Week, Nguyen has anchored her practice in symbolic and autobiographical reference, as seen in the serpent-and-camellia symbolism of ‘Ophillia’ to the Samurai tribute of ‘Setsuka’.
In this conversation, Nguyen considers the realities of building a brand within a competitive industry as an emerging Southeast Asian designer, tracing the evolution of ELENA NGN across ten collections. Her approach suggests a deliberate calibration: evolving enough to stay current, yet holding onto what makes her work unmistakably her own.
Elena Nguyen.
Hi, Elena! Could you tell us about your background, particularly how you first became interested in fashion design?
Hi! I started my fashion studies in 2014 and graduated in 2019, showcasing my graduate collection ‘Bloom’ at the London Graduate Fashion Week. My passion for fashion began with my interest in drawing and storytelling, which I have incorporated into my fashion work.
ELENA NGN ‘Bloom’ Spring/Summer 2020 Collection at London Graduate Fashion Week 2019. Image courtesy of Elena Nguyen.
What first inspired you to start ELENA NGN back in 2019, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since your debut in London?
I have tried to maintain the brand’s aesthetic and identity since its debut, keeping its essence the same while evolving in various ways, such as experimenting with new palettes, trends and materials.
Campaign image from the ELENA NGN ‘Ephemetal’ Fall/Winter 2022 Collection. A collaboration with artist Tri Ha. Image courtesy of Elena Nguyen.
Behind-the-scenes from the ELENA NGN ‘Setsuka’ Fall/Winter 2025 Collection. Image courtesy of Image courtesy of Elena Nguyen.
Behind-the-scenes from the ELENA NGN ‘Setsuka’ Fall/Winter 2025 Collection. Image courtesy of Image courtesy of Elena Nguyen.
As a young Southeast Asian designer, what challenges and opportunities do you see in building your career and reaching a global audience?
I think the most challenging aspect is that we have a lot of competitors, and many young talented designers in the field.
ELENA NGN ‘Su-O-Ko’ Collection X Fall/Winter 2024 Collection. Image courtesy Image courtesy of Elena Nguyen.
‘Su-O-Ko’, your 10th collection, feels like a moment of reflection and transformation. How does this collection represent the growth and maturity of ELENA NGN as a brand?
After many years without an official logo, Su-O-Ko carries a statement and a clear storyline, summing up the adventure of the 10 previous collections.
Look 1. ELENA NGN ‘Setsuka’ Fall/Winter 2025 Collection. Image courtesy of Elena Nguyen.
Look 5. ELENA NGN ‘Setsuka’ Fall/Winter 2025 Collection. Image courtesy of Image courtesy of Elena Nguyen.
Over the past five years, your collections have explored rich storytelling, from the serpent and camellia in ‘Ophillia’ to the Samurai-inspired ‘Setsuka’. How do you decide which ideas or narratives to explore?
Each collection has its own stories, and it depends on a lot of elements. For example, ‘Ophillia’ tells the story of the year of the snake and camellia flowers, while ‘Setsuka’ is about the life of a strong and brave samurai, which I dedicated to my late grandfather.
ELENA NGN ‘Ophillia’ Spring/Summer 2025 Collection. Image taken from ELENA NGN’s website.
ELENA NGN ‘Ophillia’ Spring/Summer 2025 Collection. Image taken from ELENA NGN’s website.
ELENA NGN seems to celebrate contrasts, such as masculinity and femininity or tradition and modernity. Are dualities central to your creative approach? Could you elaborate on your creative approach in general?
I do not think dualities are central to my creative approach, but you can sometimes find them in my work. Sometimes I bring my own stories and feelings into the story of the collection. Other times, it might be my favourite kind of flowers, or a favourite movie. But mostly, the stories and inspirations come from personal experiences and feelings.
Full collection of the ELENA NGN ‘Setsuka’ Fall/Winter 2025 Collection. Image courtesy of Image courtesy of Elena Nguyen.
Final look of the ELENA NGN ‘Setsuka’ Fall/Winter 2025 Collection. Image courtesy of Elena Nguyen.
From ‘soft hip-hop’ silhouettes to explorations of Japanese cultural motifs and innovative techniques like 3D floral appliqué, where do you see your creative direction heading in the future?
I will try my best to keep the original aesthetic and visual identity of ELENA NGN while continuing to explore new techniques and trends. My ideal approach is for the brand’s aesthetic to be recognised globally.