Tu-anh’s first foray into fashion began at six years old from an embroidery lesson. Attracted to ornateand colorful beadings, she displayed a natural flair for style and quickly graduated to sewing and embroidering clothing by the time she was eight.
Years later, tu-anh’s sophisticated and feminine aesthetic can still be traced back to her childhood. Born towards the end of the Vietnam War, tu-anh—the eldest daughter of seven children— endured a difficult upbringing during the war-torn era. After the fall of Saigon, her father and older brothers escaped to the U.S., leaving her mother, two younger sisters and tu-anh behind. Her mother, a leading figure who helped refugees escape from the Communists, worked many long hours. Therefore, tu-anh took on the maternal role for her sisters where she learned invaluable life lessons. tu-anh also witnessed her mother’s knack for survival, quick wit, resourcefulness and an emphasis on polished image and manners left a lasting impression and had profoundly influenced her present style and grace.
After several attempts to escape Vietnam, tuanh, her mother and sisters finally reunited with her father and brothers in the US. Speaking no English and with no prior schooling, tu-anh‘s first formal education began at age ten. Although it was difficult grasping the new language and culture, she found escape in her creativity. She outfitted herself and her sisters with girly, fitted frocks refashioned from oversized, church donation dresses, flea market finds and yard sales. The ability to express herself with style gave tu-anh confidence—and, she soon discovered—a great way to make new friends at school through her stylish outfits. By the time tu-anh reached 16, she had already gained real-world experience from interning and working behind the scenes at photo-shoots and fashion shows for established names such as Vogue, Glamour, Seventeen, Perry Ellis, Todd Oldham and Anna Sui. Upon graduating from The Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, tu-anh spent years working in the fashion industry while also selling her own couture work on the side. She worked as a professional make-up artist for Prescriptives, Shiseido and Stila, while also jump-starting her design career working for established companies—Adrienne Vittadini, Arnold Scaasi and NYC-based ad agency, Admerasia. On her initial return to Vietnam in 1997, deeply moved and inspired by the elegance and exotic beauty of Vietnamese culture, the tu-anh label was born. Tu-anh resides in Alexandria, Virginia. Other than being the artistic force for tu-anh accessories, she also manages her creative consulting business, polished by tu-anh; producing fashion shows, styling special events, and leading beauty and image seminars.