By the last day of Couture Week, Paris is delving into after-hours territory – eyes shielded behind tinted frames, small talk replaced by quiet nods. Thoughts are on an imminent reunion with the altar of dreams, aka the bed, now masquerading as an open-air closet. And yet, saving a little magic for the final hours, PHAN HUY channels the heart of couture, tracing the soul of Vietnamese tradition.
And maybe that’s what makes this moment feel significant. Founded only three years ago by Phan Huy and Steven Doan — friends first, creative partners second — the brand exudes a subtle self-assurance, a natural ease that comes from knowing who they are and what they represent. At 26, Phan Huy now carries the title of the youngest and first Vietnamese designer to present on the Paris Haute Couture Week schedule, manifesting a natural unfolding. Praising. In bloom, the creative director converges form and sentiment through its craft, echoing an age-old dialogue.
The collection, titled Cành Vàng Lá Ngọc — “The Golden Branch and Jade Leaf” — emerges as an enchanted poem, the very vision we anticipate for Valentine’s. The phrase alludes to centuries-old ornamental trees made for Vietnamese royalty, featuring branches of gold and leaves sculpted from jade. Only three of these delicate treasures still exist today, preserved in Huế, resonating with the memory of a forgotten age. Historically, the expression also described individuals of noble character, turning heads on a casual basis.
That sense of inherited grace drifts through the collection — Silk crepe gown paired with its coordinating embroidered umbrella, meanwhile, satin corsages unfurl gracefully, punctuated with pearls thoughtfully arranged. A mad crush for the crop top with its matching long skirt adorned with amber pearls outlining the curves in motion – a halo of gentle energy. Every creation, reimagining objects once found in the imperial court, becomes through its fabrics and colors an ode to the grandeur and refinement of an era.
Stepping onto the Paris runway, Phan Huy aimed to capture a new audience. “This is a new chapter for our house,” he expressed, hoping to show the world the depth of Asian talent. The final moment of reverie unfolded with Coco Rocha in a red gown, utterly magnetic. PHAN HUY demonstrates that tradition is most substantial when reinterpreted, when new cultural voices join the conversation, couture gains dimension. We saw it, and we understood what it took.
