Entrepreneur Le Thi Quynh Trang, founder of the Multimedia Joint Stock Company, has realised her dream of promoting Viet Nam's fashion industry. After five years of working with television producers, models and designers, she helped take the nation's fashion industry a step forward and closer to the world's standards by organising the first international fashion week in Viet Nam. She recalled her experience with the industry.

When did you have the idea to organise an international fashion week in Viet Nam?

I had the dream to organise an international fashion week in Viet Nam two years ago when I brought Vietnamese models and fashion designers to other countries to work. I often looked up fashion show information on the Fashion Calendar, where all of fashion events in the world are published, to seek opportunities for Vietnamese models to perform on the catwalk.

At that time, a question formed in my mind: when will Viet Nam have an international fashion week and have its name on it? Cambodia has had an international fashion week for along time. The dream took clearer shape and became bigger when I officially became governor of the Asian Couture Federation. I learned from organising Viet Nam's Next Top Model. If I am determined to do something, I will get it.

I am confident about my idea because Vietnamese models receive high praise at international fashion events.

Did you face any challenges in realising your dream to put Viet Nam on the map of international fashion?

I made a contact with IMG Worldwide, organiser of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, but the costs was unaffordable for us. I suspended the project and waited for the next opportunity.

During my trip to Singapore, I accompanied contestants of Viet Nam's Next Top Model 2014 who worked in a fashion event organised in the country. The way they organised the event was really professional, not any less professional than France and the US. That impressed me.

After returning to Viet Nam, I contacted FIDe Fashion Week to invite them to collaborate in organising an international fashion week in Viet Nam. Initially, they hesitated. I invited them to Viet Nam and told them about the way we organised the final night of Viet Nam's Next Top Model.

They were then a little bit more confident about our capacity. After several negotiations, they agreed to collaborate with us. On the final night of Viet Nam's Project Runway 2014, we signed a contract. At that time I knew that my dream about an international fashion week had become a reality.

As you said, Viet Nam's top models and designers received praise at international fashion events. How can the models and designers further integrate with the international industry?

The ability to speak another language. They are talented but at international fashion events, they feel inferior about our fashion industry and their limited language ability. Hoang Thuy is an example. She has improved and now she can fly on her own to London to work.

I am confident that this international fashion week will help them to become more confident and professional. We have done fashion our way. If we continue to do that, we will be backward forever and will not be able to integrate with the world.

Organising this event will help them catch up to the rest of the world in the fastest way.

Do you think there will be further development in the fashion industry after this event?

Sure. I participated in a fashion gala organised in Singapore and met several famous fashion designers at the event. Now I can start dreaming about a gala like that in Viet Nam. I don't know when it will become reality. — VNS