Cuong Nguyen’s collection embraces diverse masculine identities
“Fashion was always in my blood.”
RMIT design student, Cuong Nguyen, didn’t initially pursue fashion. Instead, he graduated with a finance degree and climbed the corporate ladder. It wasn’t until years later that Cuong decided to pursue his passion and enrol in fashion design at RMIT. “The past three years have been transformative, allowing me to unleash my creativity,” he says, reflecting on the course.
His graduate collection, What It Feels Like For A Boy, features three looks, with an additional piece created for the National Graduate Showcase x Emporium Melbourne. Masculinity sits at the forefront of Cuong’s designs, and his collection explores underlying themes of identity, beauty standards and body image. “I wanted the work to provoke dialogue, offering a fresh perspective on menswear,” he says.
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Cuong’s work draws on inspiration from both ancient and modern references, including ancient Greek and Roman cuirasses and Jean Paul Gaultier’s tailoring, combining traditional craftsmanship and unconventional techniques like wet leather moulding and trapunto quilting. “[It was] a true labour of love that came with its share of blood, sweat, and tears – my perforated fingers are proof.”
Cuong’s collection is one of the many groundbreaking student works that will be on display at the National Graduate Showcase x Emporium Melbourne as part of PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival on March 4. Held at the Royal Exhibition Building, the runway will feature 13 graduate designers, including Cuong, hand-picked from Australia’s leading fashion institutions. Fashion Journal are a long-time media partner for the event and the student runway is always an exciting glimpse into the future of Australian fashion.
Fashion Journal: Hi Cuong! Tell me a bit about how you got started in fashion. Did you always want to be a designer?
Cuong: As a kid, I was always interested in fashion and helped my mother who worked from home as a seamstress in Sydney throughout the late 1980s and ’90s. After high school, I did a short stint in East Sydney before leaving to pursue a finance degree at the insistence of my parents. However, fashion was always in my blood and I began making my own clothes long before I could afford designer pieces.
After lockdown, I felt compelled to express myself authentically. With my husband’s support, I enrolled in fashion design at RMIT. The past three years have been transformative, allowing me to unleash my creativity and grow both as a designer and a person.
Tell me about the collection you’re showing for the NGS. What was your inspiration?
My graduate collection, What It Feels Like For A Boy, is an exploration of masculinity, body image and identity, expressed through tailoring and sportswear archetypes. Drawing inspiration from a variety of sources including ancient Greek and Roman cuirasses to Jean Paul Gaultier’s tailoring and trompe-l’œil designs, it merges traditional craftsmanship with unconventional techniques such as needle felting, wet leather moulding and trapunto quilting to create intricate surface manipulations that challenge conventional menswear aesthetics.
I wanted the work to provoke dialogue, offering a fresh perspective on menswear and how fashion can express and embrace diverse masculine identities while challenging societal norms and beauty standards.
What has the process been like? Have there been many challenges or learning curves along the way?
I created three looks for my graduate collection and an additional look for the NGS showcase. The process was both challenging and rewarding, as many of my chosen techniques were time-intensive but greatly expanded my knowledge of tailoring, handcrafting and surface treatments. Needle felting presented the steepest learning curve and it taught me that this technique requires patience and works best with wool fibres. And that not all fabric composition labelling is reliable.
Circularity is an important aspect of my work and played a key role in this collection. I upcycled pre-loved garments and used surface treatments to patchwork fabric remnants from past projects, giving new life to leftover materials. I also integrated digital tools to prototype my designs and refine the fit using avatars of my models. This approach minimised waste while embedding sustainability into every stage of the design process.
How would you describe your collection to someone who’s never seen it before?
My graduate collection reimagines masculinity through tailoring menswear and sportswear, blending traditional craftsmanship with unexpected techniques like needle felting, wet leather moulding and trapunto quilting. Inspired by ancient armoury, avant-garde tailoring, and body positivity, it deconstructs stereotypes of male beauty and power.
By upcycling materials and embracing sustainable practices, the collection celebrates individuality and offers a fresh perspective on modern masculinity, challenging societal norms with creativity and purpose.
What are you most proud of in your work so far?
I’m most proud of my final collection for my RMIT fashion degree, a true labour of love that came with its share of blood, sweat, and tears – my perforated fingers are proof. I’m happy with how the product came together within the timeframe given, and I couldn’t have accomplished this without the support of my family, friends and RMIT teachers and technicians. Beyond the effort involved, I believe I’ve made needle felting cool.
What do you wish you knew when you started on your collection?
I wish I had a deeper understanding of the time certain handcrafting techniques demanded, like needle felting and wet leather moulding. Properly managing my time and resources would have made the process smoother. Also, an embellishing machine might have cut my time spent needle felting significantly.
Who is exciting you the most in local fashion right now?
I think the Melbourne fashion scene is so inclusive and vibrant as there are so many talented passionate designers with their own unique points of view. I love what established names like Toni Maticevski and Strateas Carlucci are doing. I also find independent labels like Blair Archibald, Catholic Guilt and Chris Ran Lin exciting – they’ve all carved out a niche for themselves in the marketplace.
What about the local fashion industry needs to change?
I believe the fashion industry must move away from offering commoditised, ubiquitous, and disposable products. In the pursuit of profits, many local and global brands prioritize cheap, mass-produced items over creativity and quality. This approach takes a significant toll on the environment, exploits underprivileged communities and creates societal burdens that will impact future generations. On the flip side, consumers need to reframe their perception of value, recognising the importance of local manufacturing, quality, craftsmanship and fair pricing for ethically produced fashion.
Who are your dream collaborators?
My dream collaborations would be with Robert Wun and Mason Jung. Robert inspires me with his phantasmagorical couture creations, blending fantasy and artistry, while Mason captivates me with his sharp, clever, and unconventional approach to tailoring. Both designers push boundaries in their own ways, and working with them would be an incredible opportunity to merge my vision with their innovative and avant-garde perspectives.
Where do you hope to be in the next five years?
It’s difficult to predict but ultimately, I see myself as establishing a bespoke fashion label focusing on mindful inclusive creations that blend traditional craftsmanship with sustainable innovation.
How can we see more of your work?
In addition to the NGS with PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival x Melbourne Emporium, my website serves as a portfolio showcasing my work developed over three years of studies. I can also be found on Instagram.
Keep up with Cuong here.
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