While many exchange students struggle just to understand English and American customs, junior Alex Nguyen strives to adapt his passion for fashion designing to his new country.

Originally from Vietnam, Nguyen has a different outlook on high fashion. He enjoys observing everyday Americans and being inspired by their own personal style.

“In Vietnam the middle class citizens wear uniforms to work and school, consisting of a white shirt and blue pants,” Nguyen said. “Most Vietnamese don?t care about fashion, just the high class.”

When he came to America at age 17, he became even more interested in becoming a fashion designer. While living in Vietnam he wanted to design clothes for celebrities, but after living in America he changed his goal to focus on middle- and upper-class consumers.

“The people in America wear very nice clothes and care about impressing others,” Nguyen said. “Their styles are very inspiring.”

Nguyen has always dreamed of becoming a high fashion clothing designer and would like to someday open up a store of his own, he said.

“My store is going to be called Golconda, which means ‘unlimited treasure’ in Italian,” Nguyen said. “Right now I am in the process of designing a logo for my clothing line.”

Scott Jennings, ’12, thinks Ngyuyen is very ambitious and is inspired by his dream to open a clothing store.

“I think it’s really cool that Alex wants to open up a store,” Jennings said. “I’ve seen his sketches and they are really good. I think he will someday make a great fashion designer.”

Nguyen has most of the small, yet crucial details planned out in order to accomplish his long-term desire of becoming famous. After high school he wants to attend two different prestigious colleges that will help benefit his fashion career.

“I want to go to one college for computers, so that way I can learn how to design clothing,” Nguyen said. “I also want to attend Parsons, which is in New York. Parsons is known for their amazing art program and is the top fashion school in the United States.”

After completing college, Alex wants to open his clothing store in the United States. Most of the famous clothing brands are from Italy or France and there are not many top of the line brands that have originated in the United States, he said.

“I want to be the first designer from the United States to make a legendary brand,” Nguyen said. “Once my company is doing well, I want to move to Paris and open a store there. I want to move there because Paris is the capitol of fashion and it was where Louis Vuitton was born.”

Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana are some of his favorite designers because their clothing is simple and professional. He has always been inspired by their quality pieces.

According to Nguyen, his brother Bang Nguyen has also been a major inspiration throughout his life.

“My brother has always been interested in buying luxury clothes and I have always wanted to design some of my own,” Nguyen said. “I spend a lot of time planning and sketching for my clothing line, and I get inspired from the things that he purchases.”

For more information on student fashion designers, read the Sept. 24 article, Senior threads original apparel.