Nghe An girl makes her mark in the fashion capital of Italy

THE TURNOVER AT AGE 23

Nguyen Hoang Dieu Linh was born in 1993, and has just graduated from the Fashion Design major at the NABA Academy of Arts and Design (Milan, Italy). Linh's graduation project collection has just been published in a famous fashion magazine; her achievements have been mentioned in one of Italy's largest newspapers and Linh is working hard to improve her Italian after receiving an invitation to participate in a famous art TV show... Few people can imagine that these achievements were made by a little girl with a "baby face". But behind that "baby face" is a mature Linh, with a personality forged from rich experiences and unexpected turns.

The first turning point that created Linh as she is today was Linh's parents' decision to send their second daughter to Hanoi to study high school.Do LuongLinh was born and raised in a very ordinary family in Vinh City. Because they wanted their child to try and be independent, Linh's parents suggested that Linh study at the High School for the Gifted, University of Natural Sciences (Hanoi National University). After graduating from secondary school, Linh listened to her parents and took the exam and was admitted to the school's specialized Math - IT class. Linh's independent life as a student began from there.

Photo: NVCC

“At first, I was very confused and overwhelmed. After a few months of running out of pocket money in the middle of the month, after being late for school a few times, after a few information crises… I learned from my experience and managed things properly. The independence of my high school years made me more mature,” Linh recalls.

The second turning point was Linh’s decision to study abroad. Stepping out into the vast capital, Linh was not only overwhelmed by the skyscrapers, the packed buses, the crisscrossing roads… Linh was also lost among the dreams and plans of her friends. Those were the study abroad plans, the expensive gifted classes, the prestigious schools across the ocean…

Linh confided: “Perhaps, anyone in my situation at that time would also yearn to study abroad. I heard about study abroad plans every day, learned about the lives of international students, and witnessed my friends go abroad one by one… And I began to nurture my own dream.”

During her time studying in the UK, Linh always took advantage of opportunities to experience and participate in extracurricular activities to support Vietnamese international students. Photo: NVCC

A roadmap was mapped out, with only abc level of Foreign Language, Linh fumbled to register for English classes recommended by friends, finding ways to insert English into all daily activities: Taking the bus, after class, walking, cooking... Perseverance and determination finally helped Linh win a scholarship in Finance at Leicester University - UK. The day she received the notice, Linh's parents were "shocked" by their daughter's decision. Unable to convince Linh to give up her dream of nearly 2 years, her parents agreed to let Linh go even though they were confused and worried.

During her 4 years studying in the UK, Linh took advantage of all her student time to experience many different jobs and environments. At the same time, she still participated in many useful extracurricular activities such as the international student association, badminton competitions, etc. Graduating from university with a good degree, Linh returned to Vietnam and was accepted into a large telecommunications corporation. With her ability, sense of responsibility and professional attitude, Linh gained the trust of her superiors and colleagues, and had the money-making opportunities that many people desire.

But after a short time, Linh realized this was not what she wanted. Linh did not want to do this job for the rest of her life.

Nguyen Hoang Dieu Linh (5th from left) at the graduation ceremony of Leicester University (UK). Photo: NVCC

“During this time, after work, I attended a drawing class and was praised by my teacher for being talented. I always liked a colorful life, always aiming for beauty and uniqueness, from hobbies, clothes,... Maybe that's why I felt that I was not really suitable for the office environment. I sat down, pondered and wrote down all my strengths, weaknesses, and characteristics to find what really suited me. I realized that I could become a fashion designer. And without my rich experience, the ability to understand myself and make decisions, I would never have had this turning point.” - Linh shared.

23 years old - the age when friends are ready for a wide-open career, a family of their own, Linh gave up everything she had achieved to return to zero on a new journey. While maintaining some jobs in the financial field to earn income, learning more about painting and fashion, and looking for opportunities to study in an international environment, after more than a year, Linh got a scholarshipscholarshipsecond time in life in the fashion capital of Milan (Italy).

FEARS AND A LIFE WITHOUT REGRETS

If only looking at her appearance, it would be hard to believe that Linh is 8 years older than her university classmates. However, behind the similarities in appearance are differences in perspectives that cannot be filled. Linh explained: “The huge age gap and the difference in life perspectives sometimes make me feel awkward. Anyway, I am past the age of staying up all night, eating and drinking indiscriminately, and spending a lot of time on entertainment. Now I just want to take advantage of every minute to take care of my health, study and work.”

Linh's pressure on her journey to becoming a fashion designer is enormous. Photo: NVCC

That was not the only difference Linh encountered on her journey. Like many other international students, in her second timestudy abroadLinh also encountered cultural differences, language barriers, and mental crises that she had to overcome on her own. During her second time studying abroad, Linh had a fear that was greater than anything else: Fear of making the wrong decision!

“No matter how much experience, understanding of myself, or bravery I have, I can still make the wrong decision. During the first year in Italy, this fear haunted me every time something sad happened, every time my grades were not as expected, every time I was tired… I didn’t care about the praise, criticism, or blame of others, I was only afraid of my own self-questioning for choosing the wrong path.” - Linh confided.

Linh on her graduation day from the NABA Academy of Art and Design (Milan, Italy) in early March 2022. Photo: NVCC

Collection in Linh's graduation project. Photo: NVCC

“To achieve that dream, I still have a long way to go with a lot of effort. I believe that if I persevere every day, little by little, and never give up, I will definitely be able to do it” – Linh confided.

Diep Thanh