The pregnant mother of the child model.

At the Provincial Cultural and Tourism Center, Ms. Phan Thi Phuong (stage name Phuong Zenana) is enthusiastically guiding more than 20 young children in her junior supermodel talent class on how to walk the catwalk. The sweat doesn't dim the bright eyes and radiant smiles of both teacher and students…

Born in 1982 in Dak Lak , Phan Thi Phuong, a student at Chu Van An High School, was already 1.73 meters tall when she was in 11th grade. Not only did she possess an ideal height, but Phuong also had a unique beauty and captivating charm…

During a cultural exchange between the school and the border guards, Phuong received an invitation to attend a modeling training course at the Dak Lak Provincial Cultural Center. This opened the door for her to enter the world of professional fashion .

Unlike many young people her age who only take the basics, Phuong chose a more in-depth approach. From videos of international fashion shows, she diligently studied every movement of world supermodels. In 2002, when Phuong was just 20 years old, she won the title of First Runner-up and the Style Award in the "Beauty of Dak Lak" contest. From then on, the name Phuong Zenana officially emerged. "Zenana," meaning "boudoir" in Indian, was chosen by Phuong as her stage name.

Supermodel Phuong Zenana is guiding aspiring models through their first steps. Photo: Provided by the subject.

At the Miss Vietnam 2002 pageant, Phuong Zenana quickly made a positive impression on the media. Although she only made it to the top 20, her performance in the traditional Vietnamese dress (áo dài) segment was highly praised by the judges.

Continuing with the modernized ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) that Phuong herself created, combining it with fitted pants and pointed-toe sandals helped her feel more confident, shedding her "country girl" image when entering the Vietnam Supermodel competition. Phuong overcame many challenging rounds and won first prize in the Ho Chi Minh City region and the silver medal in the 2003 national supermodel competition. Phuong Zenana became a familiar name in major shows such as: Charming Vietnam, Fashion and Life, and Long Legs Night...

On the catwalk, Phuong Zenana was considered a promising model with an emotionally expressive performance style. She represented Vietnam at Elite Model Look Asia 2006 in Shanghai, China. In 2008, at the peak of her career, Phuong Zenana unexpectedly retired and returned to her homeland to follow her heart.

Although she still dreams of the spotlight and fashion shows, Phuong has to put those dreams on hold to dedicate time to her family.

While staying home to care for her children, Phuong still managed to complete her Bachelor of Law degree. However, her passion for modeling remained strong. She thought: “Dak Lak province has no shortage of potential beauties for major beauty pageants. It’s a pity there aren’t any professional modeling training classes, so those who want to pursue this dream have to go to Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, or Hanoi. Why go so far? They waste time and money traveling. I can help them realize their dreams…”

Child model Diep Anh - a student of Ms. Phuong - won 3rd runner-up in the 2025 All-Round Child Supermodel Competition. Photo: Provided by the subject.

In 2019, Phuong partnered with the Provincial Cultural Center to open a talent training class for young people who dreamed of walking the catwalk. To support those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, Phuong taught 20 male and female students for free. In the very first training course, Pham Tran Linh Dan won several awards, including the "Talented Child Supermodel" award, and had the opportunity to perform in Hanoi.

Phuong's talent class students are from 4 years old and up. Many parents bring their children to class and practice along while waiting, so Phuong guides both the children and the mothers. For example, in the case of Ms. Cao Thuy Lieu, during the process of guiding the mother and daughter, Phuong noticed that Ms. Lieu had many strengths, so she encouraged her to participate in the Miss Beauty Vietnam 2025 competition, and Ms. Lieu won first prize.

In 2023, to give her students the opportunity to showcase their talents on a large stage, Phuong collaborated with various organizations to hold the The Model Kid Tay Nguyen 2023 competition. Following that event, she continued to connect with cultural and sports events in the province to create opportunities for her students. Many events attracted large audiences, such as: a fashion show featuring 50 models aged 4-50 at the Vietnam Book Day 2023 event organized by the Dak Lak Provincial Association of Literature and Arts; and the "Cinderella Dream" program held at the Provincial Cultural Center, which allowed 100 students of all ages to freely express themselves…

Many students, under Phuong's guidance, have shone brightly, such as H'Rody Byă, who went from a shy girl brought by her mother to ask for lessons to becoming the 2nd Runner-up in the Miss Ethnic Vietnam 2007 pageant. More recently, Nha Bang won the Model Kids Victory competition; and Diep Anh won the 3rd Runner-up in the 2025 All-Around Child Supermodel competition…

Phượng Zenana always encourages her students, saying, "The most important thing is not the title, but to shine in your own way." She also hopes that Dak Lak will have more professionally organized fashion shows; and that garment companies and businesses can collaborate to promote fashion and brocade culture while empowering young people to showcase their talents...

Truong Nhat Vuong

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/xa-hoi/202507/ba-bau-cua-nguoi-mau-nhi-f931f46/