Daily Inspiration: Meet Van Hoang

Today we’d like to introduce you to Van Hoang. 

Hi Van, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Van Hoang and I design, sew, and create for my namesake label, Van Hoang, which focuses on sustainable clothing and lifestyle. I’ve always been interested in the arts and making things since I was a little kid and knew I wanted to pursue something creative. 

I attended O’More College of Design and got my B.F.A. in Fashion Design and Merchandising. Afterwards, I went on to show at Charleston Fashion Week as a semifinalist in the Emerging Designer Competition as well as Nashville Fashion week. However, I was still unsure what I wanted to do. The more and more I learned and looked into the fashion industry the more superficial, harmful, and wasteful it seemed to me. What was the point of creating more clothing when there was already so much waste in the world, and at what cost? The fashion industry is one of the world’s largest polluters, not to mention the ethical labor issues such as sweatshops in third world countries. 

This realization compelled me to learn more about sustainability and what we could do to reduce our environmental impact. I decided to go back to school to pursue an M.A. in Design for Sustainability at Savannah College of Art and Design. I wanted to find a way to do what I love but in a more responsible and ethical way. Instead of just caring about the end product I learned how to look at the whole system in a holistic way and see where positive changes can be made. This led to the launch of my label with a focus on sustainability and ethical practices. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road, a lot of things I had to learn through doing my own research and trial and error since there wasn’t much known about sustainable fashion at the time. There also weren’t many resources or materials available to use aside from linen or hemp. I think it’s getting better though now that customers and pushing for ethical products and practices. There are also more materials available now than there was before which is great, that means progress is being made even if it is slow. 

I think the biggest challenge though is fast fashion and accessibility. Often when people are given a choice between paying less for more or paying more for less, it’s natural that people will want the best bang for their buck. Especially if they have other financial burdens or obligations. Not everyone can afford a $200+ dress which is understandable! However, if we want to make things ethically and pay fair wages then the cost will be more than something you can get at a fast-fashion store. 

Another challenge is greenwashing. Often companies will do little things like changing the color to green or saying something is ethical, but not have any facts or information about why it’s actually ethical or sustainable. It takes extra work on the part of the customer to see beyond that and dig deeper which many people don’t want to think about. It creates a disconnect from how something is made, who made it, and who it ultimately ends up with. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The core of what I do is design and create clothing while keeping sustainability in mind. This means that I try to be more mindful and intentional about what I make. It’s not just about making something beautiful but also thinking about how it’s made, what it’s made out of, how long it will last, as well as many other factors. With fast fashion and overconsumption being so rampant I think it’s really important to be thoughtful about what we put out there and the impact it will have. 

Something I’m really proud of is being the recipient of the 2019 Nashville Fashion Forward Fund. I was able to use this grant to attend the Copenhagen Fashion Summit which is a global conference on sustainability in the fashion industry. It had been on my bucket list to go there so it was really cool to actually get to go and be in the same room with all of these industry leaders. 

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I really like that while Nashville is growing there’s still a small-town charm and many local businesses. Everyone is also very supportive of each other so it’s nice to have a community and support system. However, that is changing quickly with large corporations coming here which is good for the economy but not so great in other ways. I think what I like least are the are the electric scooters and transpotainment, I avoid downtown if I can help it for those reasons lol. 

Contact Info:

• Email: vanhoangthelabel@gmail.com
• Website: www.vanhoangthelabel.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanhoangthelabel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vanhoangthelabel

Image Credits
Jon Morgan Photography