By Doris Brogan, Richland Chronicle
Vinh Lu, who goes by the Americanized name Victor, is a 20-year-old major in fashion merchandising from Saigon, Vietnam.
Vinh Lu won the Aquafina Pure Fashion 2011 competition, a Vietnamese version of the U.S. TV reality show “Project Runway.” He was awarded the top prize of $30,000 in U. S. currency. Photo from Richland Chronicle.
In his native Vietnam, Lu is already an accomplished fashion designer. He won the Aquafina Pure Fashion 2011 competition, a Vietnamese version of the U.S. TV reality show “Project Runway.” He was awarded the top prize of $30,000 in U. S. currency.
“After high school I didn’t plan to join the fashion industry,” Lu said. “In Vietnam the fashion industry is just starting to get popular.”
Lu wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life when a friend urged him to join the fashion competition because he had a flair for drawing and fashion. The rest, as they say, is history.
Lu entered the competition, though he didn’t expect to win. “When they announced my name in the top 12, I [couldn’t] even believe it,” he said.
They continued to eliminate a person per round until they reached the top five. They eliminated two people in that round.
“Suddenly I am in the top three. I’m excited. I’m shaking,” Lu said.
He had one month to prepare for the final show. The design theme was to be clothes for the future.
Lu was pragmatic during the finale.
“I’m in the top three so I’m happy. I don’t want anything more … All of a sudden they called my name and I was jumping like a kid on the stage.”
Read the full story by Doris Brogan from Richland Chronicle.
