Cong Tri: 'I was worried every hour leading up to Katy Perry's fitting day'

The designer shares the pressures and difficulties of creating costumes for famous stars.

- Recently in her world tour "Witness", Katy Perry chose to wear Cong Tri's clothes. How did the singer find you?

- The person who helped me this time was makeup artist Hung Van Ngo in New York. Two years ago, I met him through a friend. Since then, we have kept in touch and exchanged fun information about each other's work and life. I learned from Hung how to work seriously regardless of day or night according to international standards and the enthusiasm to create opportunities for young talents.

Designer Nguyen Cong Tri and Hung Van Ngo (right). Hung Van Ngo is a makeup artist chosen by many Hollywood stars (including Miranda Kerr) for his creativity and dedication.

When Hung understood my personality and working style, he introduced me to Katy Perry's team. It was an opportunity that my team and I had to work hard to not let go of. We tried our best day and night to complete all the requests and even the smallest changes from Katy Perry.

I had to sign an international confidentiality agreement sent by Katy. Then I received a program script of more than 140 pages, with all the items from sound, lighting to stage transformation. From there I came up with ideas for costumes.

- What makes Katy Perry trust you among hundreds of world-famous designers?

- When Hung Van Ngo connected us with Katy Perry's stylist, we sent them our profile for review. I think they also looked at the collections I had done before in international shows. Luckily for me, Rihanna had previously worn an outfit I designed in a project.

Three outfits Cong Tri designed for Katy Perry.

- How did you make the three costumes?

- It took us 20 days to complete everything. For the polka dot ruffled bodysuit, I used synthetic patent leather for the main body and organza silk for the decorative details. For the organza silk, we used silk drawing technique to position the polka dots, then embroidered round dots on those positions to create a 3D effect. For the silver asymmetrical dress, I used sequin fabric and attached crystals along the curves to create a slimmer look for the wearer. The plaid set looks simpler but in terms of sophistication and meticulousness, it is equivalent to the other two sets. We attached tiny stones to the stripes to create an eye-catching effect on stage.

The costumes must follow the script, style and color to match the background and stage lighting. Regarding the style, both sides discuss and make samples. The process of choosing and deciding on the material also has many changes. We have to film the material moving, shine lights on it to see how sparkling it is, and then send it to them. Everything must be very careful to avoid mistakes or not to their liking.

* Katy Perry wears Cong Tri's sparkling outfit on stage

- What pressure did you face when working with a world star?

- This is my first time working in ageneral procedure of the whole major international program.I feel very excited like the first days of school, but also very pressured.We had to be mentally prepared because we could be eliminated from the process if we didn't meet the requirements when we did it. On top of that, you can't be sure if the outfit you make will be worn by her or not. I know that along with my team, many other big designers are also making Katy's outfits. It's a lot of pressure.

I also have difficulty making costumes for a remote customer, especially in the performance garment industry. I only have three measurements and height. The rest of the technical team guesses from pictures and decides on their own.Express delivery from Vietnam to the US is also a barrier, even with large shipping companies. The date and time of sending samples to Katy Perry for fitting each batch must be exact; if the clothes are not there on time, they are considered rejected. We are always worried, counting down the hours until Katy's fitting.

* Behind the scenes, Cong Tri makes costumes for Katy Perry

- According to you, what are the principles of fashion design for singers?

- The first time I worked with an international singer, I gained some experience. But singers, both domestic and foreign, have common principles. One of them is to keep their body measurements and strengths and weaknesses confidential. In addition, singers' costumes must be more durable to avoid damage during performances. Designers must calculate so that the costumes not only flatter their figure, express their personality but also help them feel comfortable during the performance.

If for domestic singers, I only have to make one set of each model, then for international singers, I have to make two sets of each model as backup. The international crew has higher and more meticulous requirements for quality. They work according to a standard process from start to finish, rarely making last-minute changes. In Vietnam, singers can change costumes right before the show.

Ho Ngoc Ha is one of many singers who choose Cong Tri to design performance costumes.

- Being a stylist designing costumes for music stars is the fastest way to make a name for yourself. What do you think about this?

- I think that's natural. I used to be like that. Now most young Vietnamese designers do the same. Music stars are always the ones who inspire and support designers a lot in realizing their ideas. Working with Ho Ngoc Ha before gave me more experience and tricks in the profession. Ha is very smart in changing the situation.

Singers help promote the designer's name to the audience in the fastest way. I do not hesitate to hide anything when saying that I now seek opportunities with international stars.

- The recent "Em Hoa" collection was praised in Vogue magazine, and now you have received the trust of international singers. Where do you think this success comes from?

- Before, I only presented my collections domestically. Recently, I tried my hand at international catwalks like Tokyo Fashion Week. This helped me to be known by international friends. Thanks to bringing Em Hoa to Tokyo, singer Rihanna got to know me and ordered my clothes. But that was just in terms of image.

For over 10 years, I have always strived to improve myself through research and creativity. I think patience and hard work are the most important things that have helped me get to where I am today. I just want to show everyone that a designer, without formal training, can still do many things as long as he has the desire to do the job.

Each collection of Nguyen Cong Tri has a different and diverse style.

- Your collections have completely different styles, varying from shape to material. While each designer has a consistent style. How do you explain this?

- I have two product lines, Nguyen Cong Tri and Cong Tri. For Nguyen Cong Tri, I do it out of passion and almost non-profit. Nearly 10 years ago, I set a plan for myself that every year Nguyen Cong Tri would launch a collection numbered in order, now it is number 10. With each collection, I will experiment with a style and have a message to challenge myself.

Maybe I will have an exhibition to display these 10 collections as a summary of a 10-year journey. After that, the Nguyen Cong Tri brand will not launch any more numbered collections, instead it will express a new and more artistic concept of fashion, not just stopping at clothes to wear.

If Nguyen Cong Tri is my own creative play, Cong Tri product line completely defines the style throughout. It is clothing for ladies, successful women, emphasizing the technique of creating shapes with cuts that hide flaws. The collection The Stranger's Girl and I belongs to this brand. Next November, Cong Tri continues to launch the Fall Winter 2017 collection in Hanoi.

According to VNE