test In the latest installment of this series that goes inside the private working worlds of designers, Simone Rocha, founder and creative director of her own fashion line, discusses life in East London, the importance of shoes you can walk in, and fighting with her father. In the latest installment of this series that goes inside the private working worlds of designers, Simone Rocha, founder and creative director of her own fashion line, discusses life in East London, the importance of shoes you can walk in, and fighting with her father. In the latest installment of this series that goes inside the private working worlds of designers, Simone Rocha, founder and creative director of her own fashion line, discusses life in East London, the importance of shoes you can walk in, and fighting with her father.
Cras erat leo, mollis sit amet lacus a, tristique euismod quame. Sed tincidunt porta velit, sed suscipit massa consequat sed. Integer est ante, dictum quis metus non, rhoncus accumsan ante. Quisque auctor justo eu odio tincidunt, vitae consectetur nulla consequat. Nam vel aliquet turpis, ac sollicitudin nisi.Cras erat leo, mollis sit amet lacus a, tristique euismod quame. Sed tincidunt porta velit, sed suscipit massa consequat sed. Integer est ante, dictum quis metus non, rhoncus accumsan ante. Quisque auctor justo eu odio tincidunt, vitae consectetur nulla consequat. Nam vel aliquet turpis, ac sollicitudin nisi.
Sometimes it is easier to learn which advisors you should avoid versus learning how to select the best advisors. This can be tougher than it sounds because good and bad advisors look and sound a lot alike Sometimes it is easier to learn which advisors you should avoid versus learning how to select the best advisors. This can be tougher than it sounds because good and bad advisors look and sound a lot alike Sometimes it is easier to learn which advisors you should avoid versus learning how to select the best advisors. This can be tougher than it sounds because good and bad advisors look and sound a lot alike Sometimes it is easier to learn which advisors you should avoid versus learning how to select the best advisors. This can be tougher than it sounds because good and bad advisors look and sound a lot alike
his mother. She inspired him to continue pursuing his dream to become a fashion designer even with the difficulties he encountered along the way.his mother.his mother. She inspired him to continue pursuing his dream to become a fashion designer even with the difficulties he encountered along the way.his mother. She inspired him to continue pursuing his dream to become a fashion designer even with the difficulties he encountered along the way.
The Kieu Project is here to help you visualize your perfect fit and make you love your body even more, in the special designs custom made for every inch of the perfect you.
Simply fill in your measurements when selecting a custom-made product. We’ll make sure all designs eligible for tailoring fit you perfectly.
Alter to Fit
We make alterations for free!
The Kieu Project guarantees your complete satisfaction with our custom-made pieces. Although our custom made orders are non-refundable, they are guaranteed with supplementary alterations to fit, which means that after you receive your order, you can still request additional alterations to the item once at no shipping cost nor fee.
Ready-to-wear items can be altered in the following approach:
Make a purchase for a ready-to-wear size and kindly email us within 24 hours since placement of order at service@thekieuproject.com for size consultation or request to adjust the ordered items before these items are shipped. Small changes such as waist fitting, hem length cut, and strap adjustment are free!
Please note that shipping times cannot be guaranteed and altered items are non-refundable.
When looking at his work, it is difficult to think of Cuong Tien Dam as anything other than a fashion designer. But he wasn’t always one.
Born in 1993, Dam grew up in Bac Ninh, Vietnam. While it is the smallest province in the country, Bac Ninh stands out as a cultural center well-known for its vibrant community of artists who created the influential Vietnamese folk music style (Quan Họ) and artisan products unrivalled in the level of craftsmanship. Thisenvironment cultivated Dam’s interest in the arts that led him to study architecture.
As a student at Hanoi Architectural University, Dam was disciplined in his pursuit of beauty. His academic training honed his eye for form and dimensions. While he studied theprinciples of structure that guided the design of skyscrapers, Dam found another kind of beauty, the one that brought down castles: Vietnamese woman in the exquisite Áo Dài dress. Realizing his ardent love for fashion, Dam later left architecture in pursuit of a new art form.
Though he had no prior experience in the field, Dam dove head-first into the fashion scene. He worked on his own ready-to-wear line and simultaneously enrolled at the London College for Design and Fashion Studies.
While it is often said that one must follow their passion, the road to doing so is rarely smooth or easy as one might hope. The architect-turned-fashion-designer struggled to adapt to the demands of studying fashion. In addition to his lack of experience, he did not have any knowledge on how to tailor clothes.
Starting from nothing, Cuong Tien Dam knew he had the strongest support system: his mother. She inspired him to continue pursuing his dream to become a fashion designer even with the difficulties he encountered along the way. But most of all, Dam’s mother taught him to embrace who he is no matter the disapproval and discrimination he faces in both his work and personal life.
The strength of spirit that his mother showed him inspired Dam to take his designs to the next level. Though he had always had an eye for style, the encounter had shifted his perspective on his identity and his ideas on beauty.
Combining his architectural training with knowledge on clothing design, Cuong Tien Dam drew from the rich tradition of his Bac Ninh hometown. His designs accentuate the femininity of the Vietnamese woman who continues to liberate herself from thetraditional roles, evolving into a distinctly self-determined womanhood.
Dam’s mother had shown him the face of the Vietnamese woman: delicate and elegant, yet powerful. He has since been translating this essence into his creative work.
During his studies as a fashion student, Dam breathed life into two major projects.
Dam tells the narrative of a boy persecuted for existing in the gap between manhood and womanhood. Conditioned by a hostile society to think that, in Dam’s own words, “he was a wrongdoer of creation”, the boy finds release as he is transformed into a charismatic drag queen.
Dam’s graduation project – “Warriors in Yoshiwara”
Dam wrapped up his education at the London College for Design and Fashion Studies with his graduation project “Warriors in Yoshiwara”. Though the word ‘warrior’ may typically call the samurai to mind, Cuong Tien Dam instead presents us with a modern psychedelic take on the geisha and oiran culture. These oft objectified women were warriors in their own right against established gender roles that restricted their freedom. In this way, Dam depicts the oiran as a symbol of women’s liberation and ownership of their sexuality.
That being said, Dam’s brilliant haute couture visions inform his ready to wear collections.
Dam’s Summer 2020 Collection – “Full Swing”
“Full Swing”, his collection for Summer 2020, features soft pastels and delicate details. Though evidently structured in certain areas, each piece lends itself to an easy-going ensemble – perfect for events during warm Vietnamese summers.
Dam’s Pre-Fall 2020 Collection – “Becoming”
Meanwhile, his Pre-Fall 2020 collection “Becoming” features more structured, but no less flattering, pieces.
Suits and dresses like the one seen here show off Dam’s understanding of what looks good on the female form. While stunning on their own, his clothes don’t overpower their wearer. Instead, they add to her presence and beauty.
The same can be said for his Winter 2020 “SLICE” collection which features a predominantly beige and powder blue palette.
Dam’s Winter 2020 “SLICE” mini-collection
We see even more of Cuong Tien Dam’s architectural background in his mini collection “The beauty of Adversity – Reconstruction”.
Inspired by the restoration efforts in the wake of the Notre Dame fire, the mini collection turns the lament of the architectural world into an ode to the iconic cathedral.
But “Reconstruction” was just the start of Dam’s journey to marry the old with the new. His fresh take on the classic Vietnamese Áo Dài preserves the dignity of the traditional dress while giving it an exciting modern twist.
Mr. Cuong Tiem Dam’s first Áo Dài Collection – “Đoá Lan Ngọc”
The form fitting Áo Dài first makes an appearance in the 20th century. Itself a trendy new take on older Vietnamese traditional outfits, the Áo Dài was seen as a national costume for the modern era.
Dam harkens back to Áo Dài’s controversial roots and French influence with his first Áo Dài collection, “Đoá Lan Ngọc” which features V neck collars and puffy sleeves. Combined with chinoiserie inspired patterns, each dress in the collection revives Áo Dài as its creator Le Mur initially conceived of it.
With his captivating designs, it’s no surprise that Dam’s clothing line CHATS by C.Dam is steadily becoming a trusted name in the Vietnamese fashion scene. He recently released his new collection in January of this year.
“Dear Huế – Hà Nội – Sài Gòn” is CHATS’ second Áo Dài collection. Designed for the Lunar New Year, the dresses are feature soft silhouettes and rounded curves, inspired by the flow of rivers and waterfalls. The collection emphasizes transition and the transformative influence of the moon which, like Dam’s designs, is strongly connected with feminine beauty.
Like his first collection, “Dear Huế – Hà Nội – Sài Gòn” is a modern exploration of the Áo Dài. Dam’s innovative twists on the Vietnamese traditional dress is something to keep an eye out for in the seasons to come.
Sign In to save the world and more importantly, your favorite items.
