Good news for fashion designer who went viral while working as a ride-hailing driver

Fashion designer Ha Nhat Tien’s story has taken a hopeful turn. After his experience driving for a ride-hailing service went viral in late July, he received an offer to help build his own fashion brand on VTV2’s Toa do viec lam.

The planned collaboration is expected to begin on September 15, with Tien taking the role of creative director. He said he had entered the program expecting, at most, to work for a recruiting company in a suitable position. The offer to develop a brand of his own therefore exceeded his expectations.

On the program, Tien spoke not first about the dresses that had appeared under the spotlight, but about the shops that closed, unanswered job applications and the period he spent behind the wheel of a ride-hailing car. Those experiences made his approach more practical. He still wants to protect his creative identity, but now sees it as something that can be adjusted using data, consumer tastes and a brand’s direction.

Businesswoman Luu Nga, an adviser to the program, said she first encountered Tien in 2012 through the Vietnam Design Star competition, when she followed the young designer’s creative ability as an investor. She said qualifications and experience matter in hiring creative workers, but the deciding factor is the “soul” placed in a product and the emotion it creates. After meeting Tien again years later, she said he still possessed those qualities.

Toa do viec lam is broadcast live every Sunday afternoon on VTV2. The program, produced by Vietnam Television’s Current Affairs and Education Department, aims to connect workers with suitable opportunities and help businesses reach qualified talent more efficiently.

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This is truly a very meaningful opportunity in Tien’s professional journey.