5 things you didn't know about LCDF - Hanoi
For nearly 20 years, London College for Design and Fashion - Hanoi has always been one of the leading design training educators in Vietnam with high-profile lecturers, fascinating graduate shows, famous local brands owned by alumni, etc.
1- British lecturers from top universities around the world with impressive profiles
Many students at the London College for Design and Fashion - Hanoi have succeeded internationally with the help of the dedicating lecturers. It's not so hard to understand if you look at the lecturers’ profiles.
Lecturer Vivienne Austin graduated from Central Saint Martin's School of Design, one of the top 10 most prestigious design schools globally. She also holds a Master's degree in Fashion and Environment from London Fashion College of Fashion, UK, and had taught at the Royal Academy of Arts before coming to Vietnam.
Ms. Vivienne Austin was the guest judge of Project Runway Vietnam 2015.
As for Graphic Design, Mr. Mark Bellingham has been a Pathway Leader for Graphic Design at University for the Creative Arts since 2000. He has worked with BA, MA, and Ph.D. students, and was an external moderator for the University of the Arts London.
Mr. Mark Bellingham teaching Graphic Design at London College for Design & Fashion- Hanoi
With a degree in Interior Design Design & Architecture, Mr. Stephen Larcome has more than 30 years of experience in the industry. He used to work as the director of the largest entertainment interior design project in the UK and the general manager of a large real estate development and interior design company.
Students love Mr. Stephen Larcome because of his friendliness
Not only highly specialized, but the common feature of most lecturers at LCDF-Hanoi is that they all put students at the centre and help each person promote their strengths without imposing. At LCDF-Hanoi, wandering around the city or going to markets for materials, going on field trips to factories have always been the chances to bring the students and the lecturers closer.
2 - Fascinating graduate shows
The grand graduation exhibition events are what the students of London College for Design and Fashion – Hanoi are proud of. If the graduate fashion show is so breathtaking with the professional catwalk and thousands of guests, then the graduate Interior Design and Graphic Design exhibitions are admired for their unique decoration spaces and the student' creative thinking.
A corner of a graduate interior design exhibition at LCDF - Hanoi
The Graduate Graphic Design Exhibition at LCDF-Hanoi is divided into several rooms with diverse themes.
Fashion Stylist Mai Dieu Vi, an alumnus of LCDF-Hanoi, shared, "I am grateful that the college always has activities to promote their students. These are great opportunities for me to build networks and be as successful as I am now."
Indeed, besides organizing large-scale exhibitions and graduate shows to connect students with potential clients and employers, London College for Design and Fashion - Hanoi also partners with major international organizations such as London Graduate Fashion Week, Hong Kong Fashion Week, Redress Design Award, Global Design show and businesses in Vietnam such as Vietnam International Fashion Week, Vietnam Textile Association, interior design companies, graphic designers, craft villages, etc. to create opportunities for students to intern or participate in real design projects. This is why career opportunities for students are already wide open even before graduation.
Field trip to the printing factory
3- Sustainable design is the hallmark of the training program
It would not be an exaggeration to affirm that training towards the future is always the vision and mission of the London College for Design and Fashion - Hanoi. Therefore, applying "sustainable design" is the specialty of the training program. In every project, students are encouraged to implement environmentally friendly factors. Fashion students would look for ways to take advantage of natural materials, use environmentally friendly methods to dye fabrics, limit excess fabric white doing pattern cutting, and create blogs about sustainable fashion to help increase public awareness of the industry. Meanwhile, Interior Design students would use recycled materials such as pressed milk cartons or exhibit projects with fully reusable materials.
Many famous Vietnamese designers at the forefront of sustainable design in recent years are alumni of the London College for Design and Fashion – Hanoi such as Designer Vu Thao - founder of Kilomet 109 brand - a pioneer in sustainable fashion in Vietnam for nearly ten years. Le Ngoc Ha Thu was the first Vietnamese to win the Redress Design Award 2020, the world's largest sustainable fashion design contest. Vu Ta Linh, the former winner of Asian Star Creation, recently won the First prize at Vietnam Design Week with a collection made from old clothes.
A design by Nguyen Le Ha Thu and Tuan Hiep, fashion students at LCDF- Hanoi
Chair models created by LCDF - Hanoi students from discarded materials such as old beer barrels, old fabrics with low-waste, easy-to-recycle design methods.
4 - Make the dream of reaching international levels come true
Reaching to international levels sounds like a far-fetched phrase. Still, with the international training programs and a large-scale network of connections to universities and organizations in the UK and many countries worldwide, LCDF- Hanoi has achieved great success in making this dream come true for many young designers.
Many LCDF-Hanoi’s students have won First and Second prizes at international competitions such as Star Creation 2013, Harper's Bazaar Newgen Fashion Award, Redress Design Award. With an art portfolio created at London College for Design and Fashion- Hanoi, many young designers have successfully applied to prestigious design schools such as Central Saint Martins, Hertfordshire University, the University of the West of England (UWE), Northumbria University, Fashion Institute of Technology, etc.
Le Hoang Son is the first Vietnamese to win the 1st prize at Harper's Bazaar Asia Newgen Fashion Award 2019.
After three years of studying graphic design at LCDF-Hanoi, Pham Phuong Thao (far right of row 1) transferred to spend her final year studying graphic design at UWE Bristol (the University of the West of England). The international environment from LCDF-Hanoi had prepared and made it easier for Thao to adapt confidently.
Internationality is also ascertained when students who graduated from London College for Design and Fashion – Hanoi are now designers in the UK, USA, Canada or presenting their collections every year at London Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, etc. LCDF-Hanoi can be compared as a gateway to ensure you can easily connect to the world and access what is modern and innovative the most out there.
5 - The series of local brands goes on endlessly
It is impossible to name all the successful designers and fashion brands from LCDF – Hanoi. But there are some examples such as Kelly Bui, Chula, Lam Gia Khang, L'aterlier, Km109, UptoSecond, Webphobia, Lobbster (Designer Nguyen Diep) Yen), Ky Altelier (Designer Ky Duyen), Chats by Cuong Dam, Vrosa (Designer Vu Tuong Vi), Nguyen Chi Nghia, Ha Thong, Lee Hoang Son, Maki (Designer Duong Nguyen), L' allée (Huyen Pham)… Menswear segment also emerged with brands and designers such as: Duy Hoang, Tu Dang (TuDang), Le Ngoc Ha Thu (Xavan), Nutsclub (Nicky Vu and Van Nguyen) etc.
Despite owning a fashion brand named Chats, Designer Cuong Dam still chooses to study at LCDF-Hanoi to elevate his brand. Currently, Chats by C.dam has become a high-end local brand that is loved by many celebrities.
The list above does not include alumni working for large fashion businesses, stylists, or fashion lecturers.
Works of alumna Mai Dieu Vi - a professional fashion stylist who has been working with many famous celebrities
Every year, London College for Design and Fashion - Hanoi organizes several events allowing students to experience and understand the college's training programs. Due to the impact of the pandemic, many events have recently been held online. Don't forget to check out the college's social media for more information!
