Decoding the unique genderless style of "Anh trai say hi" Phap Kieu

Phap Kieu's real name is Nguyen Thien Phap, born in 2001 in Vinh Long. He is a rapper. Known to the audience through the programs Rap Viet 2023 and Anh trai say hi , Phap Kieu also made a strong impression with his genderless fashion style.

Behind that unique image is the careful fashion direction of stylist Son Nam, who has accompanied Phap Kieu through many large and small stages.

Rapper Phap Kieu backstage at the concert "Anh trai say hi" - 5th night (March 21) in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: Facebook Son Nam)

Stylist Son Nam (first from left) with rapper Phap Kieu backstage at the concert "Anh trai say hi" (Photo: Facebook Son Nam).

For Mr. Son Nam, building the image of French Kieu is not only a creative work, but also a journey of deep empathy with the artist's personality and artistic direction.

"I want to create a neutral image for Phap Kieu, both feminine and masculine, not leaning towards either side. Luckily, Kieu also wants that," stylist Son Nam shared.

Phap Kieu at the "Green Wave" award ceremony 2024 (Photo: Facebook Son Nam).

Besides, an important principle that Son Nam and Phap Kieu always agree on is not to show too much skin.

The stylist revealed: "From the beginning, Phap Kieu and I agreed that Kieu would not wear revealing clothes. She did not like that, not because she was worried about public opinion but simply because she was not comfortable with an overly revealing style."

Performance costume of rapper Phap Kieu for the performance "Kim min kim gio" at the 5th night of "Anh trai say hi" (Photo: Instagram Phap Kieu).

When working with Phap Kieu, this stylist almost eliminated familiar items in the male artist's wardrobe such as shirts, T-shirts or loose-fitting jackets. Instead, he chose his own designs or made his own variations.

According to him, one of the costumes that creates the typical mark of the French is the corset, an item often associated with the image of women.

Corset is an item often used by stylist Son Nam for rapper Phap Kieu's performance costumes (Photo: Instagram Phap Kieu).

"I did some research and found that in previous centuries in Europe and America, men still wore corsets as part of fashion," he said. "I chose corset designs without chest padding to avoid an overly feminine feel, focusing only on shaping the waist and flattering the figure in a neutral way but still enough to make Kieu stand out."

With skirts, Son Nam often combines them with long pants to avoid the feeling that Phap Kieu is dressing up as a woman. He only chooses asymmetrical designs, pleated skirts or skirts with a sturdy structure, completely avoiding overly soft or feminine shapes.

Phap Kieu stands out with her elaborate black shirt design combined with an asymmetrical skirt (Photo: Phap Kieu's Instagram).

According to Mr. Son Nam, most of Phap Kieu's costumes are custom-made or carefully edited from ready-made items. He directly searches for suitable materials to ensure that the costumes reflect the design idea.

When preparing for the concert Anh trai say hi , he coordinated 11 performance costumes, each with careful investment in materials, colors and cultural elements, such as Khmer and Tay motifs for the performance Khat vong la nguoi Viet Nam.

The stylist frankly shared that there was a time when he thought that if rapper Phap Kieu were less feminine, his career path would be easier. But now, he believes in his choice and that of the artist.

Phap Kieu performed in a blue outfit, combined with a white fur hat and mask to create an impressive effect (Photo: Phap Kieu's Instagram).

"I can confidently say that Kieu should retain that femininity, because that is what makes the difference in your personality and artistic quality," the stylist said.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/giai-ma-phong-cach-phi-gioi-tinh-doc-dao-cua-anh-trai-say-hi-phap-kieu-20250508103819445.htm