Hoang Nguyen

Hoang Nguyen is the designer and owner of the women’s clothing brand Autrefois Saïgon. Born in Vietnam to a family of weavers, she creates garments influenced by her Asian heritage and by Western culture.

Her clothing is known for its Eastern inspired prints and modern twists on traditional styles like the kimono and Mao collar.

Her collections are sold in her store/atelier on René Lévesque Boulevard and at Signatures Québecoises on St. Joseph Street in the St. Roch district, both in Quebec City.

Arriving in Quebec in 1981, Hoang Nguyen studied fashion at Campus Notre-Dame-de-Foy in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, earning her diploma in 1988. From 1990 to 1992, she worked for leather manufacturer Guy Dussault in Quebec City while also creating custom-made clothing for her own clientele. At the time, her creations were sold by the boutique Artefact, in Montreal.

In 1993, she opened her own store/atelier, Autrefois Saïgon, to get closer to her clientele and express her vision of fashion. As of 2018, she continued to offer ready-to-wear and custom-made women’s clothing from this location.