Uyen Nguyen considers themself to be a fashion artist more so than a fashion designer. The looks they construct combine elements of their passions (math, origami) with elements of their identity (queer, Vietnamese) to tell a story, usually incorporating shared values or interests of the model as well. In this way, Nguyen's creations are often very collaborative with their models, using a lot of model input to create a final design that ensures the garment is something the model feels comfortable, safe, confident, secure, and proud wearing. Being nonbinary, Nguyen considers all of their designs to be gender inclusive, able to be worn by anyone regardless of sex.
Looks
Model: Marvil Iglesias
Photo: Molnia Efremov
About the look
Werkasian
brocade, velvet, elastic
2024
I had the privilege of meeting Marvil Iglesias – a fellow queer, East Asian artist – during my residency in Bromölla. He’s been my community in this new, unfamiliar place, & we connected instantly & bonded over our shared identities, experiences, & values. This piece is a collaboration between our two artforms: my origami fashion & his dancing. Ballroom culture & voguing is inseparable from the queer community that created it, much like my own work is inseparable from my identity. The category for Old Way in the Garden of Gems ball was combining metals with black. When we went to Malmö Pride together, we found the perfect black & silver brocade at a fabric store run by fellow POC full of fabrics reminiscent of traditional garments from our own cultures. The design of the look incorporates our shared interests. Despite being artists, our educational backgrounds are from more technical fields, & we include a nod to that in the design choices we made. The top uses the Virahanka/Fibonacci sequence to determine the width of each pleat. The pants include the code 1-3-1-2 in the number of rows of folded spikes, which is code for ACAB, as we both have protested acts of police brutality. The main challenge in creating this look for me was to allow movement, as a lot of my sculptural work is meant specifically for display more so than everyday wear. In addition to merely allowing movement, I also created flappers (fan cuffs) that will open & close with wrist movements to emphasize & accentuate gestures in vogueing. The creation of this look has inspired me to want to create more garments that can incorporate the dynamic movement of dance & through this creation I have learned so much about my art, myself, Marvil, our cultural history, & other artforms. This custom piece celebrates our shared influences, shared identity, & shared experiences.
