Orphaned at a young age
Model and designer Nam Phong (real name Ngo Quang Phong) was born 1989 in Ca Mau , facing hardships from the early years of his life. He lost his mother just one year after birth, then his father passed away a year later.
His biological uncle and aunt took Nam Phong in to raise him. At first, his uncle and aunt's family was well-off, running an electronics business and living a comfortable life. However, when Nam Phong was in the third grade, around the age of 8, the family encountered financial problems, was in debt and had to move to another place. From then on, the 8-year-old boy had to go out into the world and earn a living for himself.
He used to pull carts to help construction workers, sell batteries, work from 2-3 am until dawn to go to school.
When he was helping his wife sell noodle soup during a heavy rain, he had to hold onto a tree to prevent the shop from collapsing, standing there for 2 hours in the pouring rain. Or like the time he was carrying food to feed the pigs, because he was still young and the bike was too heavy, everything fell onto the road.
Ngo Quang Phong emotionally shared about his difficult past:
Nam Phong confided that in the countryside, poor families were often looked down upon. He always lived in fear, not daring to speak up even though he was not a weak child by nature. These difficulties created a psychological barrier that made him lose confidence for a long time.
First tear on stage
Amidst the hardships of life, the only thing that brought Nam Phong joy was art. Since childhood, he was passionate about art shows on TV and especially idolized Dan Truong and Ngoc Son. Every time a group of artists came to Ca Mau to perform, even though a ticket cost 50,000 VND - a huge amount for his family at that time, he still found a way to meet his idols.
The opportunity to become a model began when Nam Phong worked as an electronics sales assistant for an uncle. A wedding studio opened nearby and saw that he had a pretty good appearance, he took wedding photos. After that, Nam Phong decided to go to Ho Chi Minh City to try his hand at the Spring Fashion contest.
The first time he competed, he entered the top 5 and performed in many shows. However, due to financial constraints, Nam Phong had to return to Ca Mau to work more to have a chance to return. In 2014, he participated in the Model Star contest and won the Bronze prize.
The moment his name was called in the Top 3 is something Nam Phong will never forget. He cried like rain on stage. That was the moment that marked a turning point in the life of the Ca Mau boy.
2015 continued to mark an important step forward when Nam Phong participated in the Vietnam Model and Talent contest. He attracted attention in the behavioral round but also created a lot of controversy. However, he still won the runner-up title, affirming his talent and courage.
Unfulfilled dream at age 36
After his success in the modeling industry, Nam Phong made a surprising move into fashion design. The opportunity began with his relationship with singer Nguyen Vu. With 16 years of experience in making wedding dresses and regularly working with costumes in shows, Nam Phong has accumulated a lot of knowledge about fashion.
Recognizing Nam Phong's aesthetic sense, Nguyen Vu ordered the first costumes. When Nguyen Vu wore these designs to perform, Dan Truong and many other singers praised them and asked to buy them. That was the motivation for Nam Phong to start taking his design career seriously.
After only 2-3 months of trial work at home, Nam Phong received orders from many singers. Dan Truong was the first to support him, followed by Ngoc Son and many overseas artists who also trusted him and placed orders. This support did not stop at that time but lasted for many years.
Nam Phong understands that artists are very picky about their outfits and don't like to "have the same outfit", so he decided to only make one of each design. If any artist tries on a design that doesn't fit, he will redesign another one, but he must ask permission first and inform them that there will be two of the same style.
In addition to design, Nam Phong also focuses on understanding the personality and preferences of each customer. He spends time talking to them to grasp their aesthetic taste and personal style, thereby creating the most suitable products.
His brand has an Eiffel Tower symbol wrapped around flowering vines, symbolizing Nam Phong's life, which is entangled with many difficulties but still reaches his dream. Nam Phong's biggest dream is to one day go to the fashion capital of Paris to show his own collection.
Nam Phong's passing left a great sorrow in the hearts of his loved ones. Singer Dan Truong - a close friend and long-time customer - expressed: "Last year you got sick and stopped sewing clothes. I kept waiting for you to get well soon so I could sew clothes for you, but it was too late. Life is truly unpredictable." The farewells from Quach Tuan Du, director Nguyen Quy Khang and many other artists also showed the affection people had for Nam Phong.
Nam Phong attended the event:
Photo, video: FBNV
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/so-phan-khac-nghiet-cua-nguoi-mau-nam-phong-vua-qua-doi-o-tuoi-36-2419520.html
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