Phan Huy: The Meteoric Rise Of The Young Fashion Brand

Haute couture fashion designer Phan Huy’s journey reads like a Cinderella story.  

Fête Chinoise Exclusive: On the Ground in Hong Kong at Hong Kong Fashion Fest 2026
Written by Anna Au-Yeung
Photography: Anna Au-Yeung, Phan Huy, Hong Kong Fashion Fest

From growing up in a rural area of Vietnam, and playing with fabric swatches in his family’s curtain shop; Phan Huy had no access or exposure to high fashion or even fashion magazines until he was about 15 or 16 years old.  From the age of 6, Phan remembers making dresses for dolls using the curtain fabric, and drawing fashion sketches from the age of 10.  Phan ultimately decided to study fashion design at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture - which offers one of the leading fashion design training programs in Vietnam.  When a 23-year old Phan presented his graduate fashion collection, the Vietnamese fashion industry took notice and so did Creative Director/Fashion Stylist Steven Doan.

Steven Doan, Coco Rocha, Phan Huy

Steven Doan grew up in Vietnam and started his fashion career there as a model.   Steven then pursued studies in Fashion Styling and Creative Direction which took him to Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London, UK.  Upon graduation, Steven’s career achievements included being a fashion editor at Elle Vietnam, fashion stylist to prestigious clients in runway, fashion, beauty and red carpet and teaching fashion styling at the Istituto Marangoni London.  After more than a decade of experience in the fashion industry and cultivating an East meets West fashion sensibility; Steven was introduced to Phan and was immediately captivated by Phan’s talent.  Upon discovering that they shared the same design vision which included bringing Vietnamese cultural heritage to haute couture craftsmanship and innovation; Steven proposed a strategic partnership and Phan Huy the brand was born in 2023 with Steven as CEO and Co-Founder and Phan as Creative Director.

With Steven’s business savvy and connections to Europe and London; he proposed putting on a fashion show in Paris to introduce Phan’s designs to the world stage.  Their initial collection was presented to positive feedback - their designs were snapped up by customers around the world and true to start-up company form, the proceeds were invested right back into creating the next collection.

Their creative vision and teamwork was rewarded in December of 2025 when they received a letter of invitation from the Haute Couture Committee of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode to present as a guest member at Paris Haute Couture week.  In January 2026, when Phan Huy presented his collection titled Golden Branches, Jades Leaves - an homage to Vietnam’s last ruling dynasty; Phan made history as the youngest and first Vietnamese designer to present at Haute Couture week.

The dynamic duo has continued to forge ahead in the fashion industry, working together synergistically to continue their meteoric rise, not letting distance - Phan and Steven are based in different continents, language barrier (Phan is learning English) or youth (the brand is new, Phan is a also a young designer), stop them from achieving their ambitions.

At the VIRTUOSE fashion show in Hong Kong, Phan Huy was the fourth and last designer to present the couture collection - Blurred Boundaries, and closed out the show to great acclaim.

Steven Doan and Phan Huy at the VIRTUOSE Show at Hong Kong FAshion Fest 2026

Each of the four designers that showcased their haute couture collections had their unique, distinctive styles - from ethereal and flowing, to theatrically dramatic, to rebellious and edgy - but Phan Huy set the tone for combining classic haute couture craftsmanship with contemporary glamor and elegance.

Each of the ten evening gowns that were modelled throughout the show featured Vietnamese materials, exquisite detailing, and intricate embellishments that took many hours to create or sculptural silhouettes that could only be created with precision tailoring. In our interview, I asked Phan how he finds inspiration for his fashion collections?

Phan Huy’s Blurred Boundaries Collection at VIRTUOSE 2026

Phan Huy’s Blurred Boundaries Collection at VIRTUOSE 2026

Phan Huy’s Blurred Boundaries Collection at VIRTUOSE 2026

Phan responded that his artistic direction focuses on his emotional response to his Vietnamese culture, natural materials, and everyday objects around him.  Every design starts with an emotional reaction, which is then translated into fashion as Phan believes that fashion is art and art begins with emotion.

For the Blurred Boundaries collection - Phan was inspired by his experience with wearing glasses and different distortions like light reflection or blurriness caused by water on the lens.  The altered perception caused by his glasses and the beauty that can be found in that perception inspired the collection. 

A-Line Tea-Length Guipure Lace Dress in Silvery Blue with Sequined Embellishments. The illusion of a frozen mist shimmering across the surface of the hand-dyed guipure lace is the result of the embellishment of thousands of silvery sequined and beaded wire appliqués.

With Phan’s designs being showcased and appreciated in the Asian and European markets and with interest in continuing global expansion; Phan holds fast to the belief that it is most important to hold true to his own design perspective and brand direction vs. different geographical markets.  In fact, Phan and Steven had some heartfelt and practical advice for young designers.  

“When designing it is very important to give your full heart and soul into your design process to make it yours.  Focus on what you love and immerse yourself into that process, and give it your 100% - your unique design will shine through to show who you are.  Just note there has to be a balance between the commercial and creative process.  You need to know what the market is looking for and make sure your design has that balance - the design has to work for everyday life.”

Elsa Ni in Phan Huy at Hong Kong Fashion Fest Gala 2026

Irene Kim in Phan Huy at Hong Kong Fashion Fest Gala 2026

Phan Huy demonstrates this advice in their interactions with clients who appreciate their brand direction and designs. Phan Huy will work with the clients to make bespoke gowns or alterations for their designs that would work for them.

In their mission to continue to bring Vietnamese Couture to the world stage, what is next for Phan Huy?  What new milestones and goals do they have in the immediate future?

As they concluded the VIRTUOSE show which was actually the first time Steven and Phan had ever travelled to Hong Kong, they mentioned the next fashion show they are showcasing in October touches on two personal motivations.  Phan Huy will be presenting their first Ready-To-Wear fashion show to make their fashion more accessible to a greater number of customers and they will be presenting the RTW collection in Vietnam, as a tribute to their ancestry and homeland.  This will be followed by continuing to launch their RTW collection at Paris trunk shows and working on an even more inspiring haute couture collection for Paris Fashion week in January 2027.  Their ambitious plans include expansion of bespoke bridal gowns and their RTW collections to North America. 

I for one am excited to continue to follow their design journey and watch them achieve even greater accolades with the things they will accomplish.  

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