Hey, I Like Your Style! Inside the wardrobe of Melbourne model and DJ, Danny Nguyen
IMAGE VIA @lego__blok/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY DAISY HENRY
“I was able to put my ego to the side and just wear what I have and force myself to think a little more creatively with what’s on hand.”
We know personal style is a journey (I’m looking at you, Tumblr years) and our series Hey, I Like Your Style! dives into the fashion psyche of our favourite creatives. We’re talking the good, the bad and the 2007.
While the internet has made our fashion icons feel closer than ever before, even the most effortless of outfits came from a closet with some (well-dressed) skeletons. Clickable product tags, photo archives and lives chronicled in 30-second clips just don’t tell the full story.
For more fashion news, shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.
These are the stories behind the wardrobes, exploring how we develop our personal style. There’s a brilliance behind the way we choose to express ourselves, and at FJ, we know every outfit has a story. For this instalment of Hey, I Like Your Style!, we enter the wardrobe of Danny Nguyen.
A model and DJ based in Melbourne, his style is mostly intuitive. Rather than overthinking outfits or dipping in and out of trends, Danny’s wardrobe is full of pieces that can be mixed and matched without a second thought. Unafraid to experiment and get creative with his outfitting, Danny’s taste gravitates towards both masculine and feminine styles – picture playful layers, cropped tops and contrasting silhouettes.
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Who are you and what do you like to wear?
My name is Danny Nguyen, I work full-time in music events and own a music label [Abode]. I’m also a student, model and DJ. Generally speaking, I gravitate towards a ‘preppy’ style combined with the casualness of streetwear, but I don’t tend to go down the streetwear rabbit hole too often.
I don’t give too much thought to what I wear, most of the time it comes quite naturally unless it’s a super important event. Most of the stuff I own isn’t really exuberant and can generally work with other pieces scattered throughout my wardrobe.
What has your style evolution looked like? Do you feel like you’ve gained confidence in the way you dress?
Over time, my style has grown with maturity. Not succumbing to trends has helped me a lot and while there isn’t anything wrong with that, believing in the pieces I buy and own (regardless of whether people around me like or dislike them), has helped me find my taste.
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I’ve always believed in how I dressed, even from a young(er) age. While I do feel confident wearing my clothes, it’s never really given me an extra boost. Having belief in myself, not just within fashion but in other areas of life such as work or music, has kept me at a good level.
Personal style is a journey. Have you ever felt like you needed to fit into a particular fashion box?
Up until recently, no! Once I started to post a little bit more on social media, I felt this inner demon in me, telling me I needed to buy and own the latest and greatest pieces to show off to my so-called ‘audience’. Having noticed this inner voice, I was able to put my ego to the side and just wear what I have and force myself to think a little more creatively with what’s on hand. And to be at peace with ‘outfit repeating’.
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Another thing was just understanding my body type and what looked best on me. This was a really big step because instead of focusing on the brand or the price tag, it allowed me to focus on what I think truly looks best and what compliments my body type well.
Take us back to those awkward teenage years. Do you have any fashion regrets?
For some things I do but for the most part, no. Going through the archives, I can understand why I wore certain things at the time and if I were to wear those things now, I think it’d be socially acceptable. From a transitional perspective, the line was quite linear. I can see how I got to where I am now in terms of clothing – it all adds up! But, I will say, I used to own cargo pants quite a bit and I wouldn’t go near them now.
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What are the most expensive and least expensive items in your wardrobe?
My Maison Margiela Tabi’s take the cake for sure, however this definitely could’ve been avoided. I bought them a while ago for full price, only for them to become half price the following week. And to top it off, I had lost the receipts in a different country so I couldn’t return them.
In terms of inexpensive items, I’ve never really been a thrift head/vintage enthusiast. I’ve been in a position where brands have reached out with free clothes in exchange for pieces of content! I’m always very, very grateful and love the things that come my way.
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What is the most meaningful fashion piece you own?
I can’t say there are too many things in my wardrobe that are meaningful to me. I tend to resell clothes quite quickly in exchange for newer pieces, so I don’t really have any emotional attachment to them. If I had to put my finger on something, it’d most likely be my Wales Bonner track jacket, purely based on the fact that I had been searching for the jacket for almost a year.
Who or what influences your style?
My girlfriend influences my style a lot! She generally has the last say on most of my clothing purchases, but sometimes I can get away with the odd item here and there. Outside of my girlfriend, there are a few notable people on TikTok, in particular, Perry Frempong, Saints by Saint and Daniela Contreiras. Drawing inspiration from femininity has also helped me grow into my style as well.
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What fashion piece are you saving for right now?
There are a few things I’d love! I recently just bought a beautiful pair of Lemaire loafers which I’ve been eyeing since January so I’m glad to have ticked that one off. Aside from that, I would love a pair of Kiko Kostadinov Women’s AW19 Martar trousers and maybe a really nice trench coat but not too sure if it’s suitable for the summer! We’ll see…
What are the wardrobe items you wear on repeat?
I’m currently wearing these amazing Italian denim pants by Studio Nicholson. I really love the silhouette and they compliment a lot of my footwear. I also really love my Lemaire loafers – very sleek and very comfortable. There’s also a hoodie I’m rocking most days by a local label, Posture Studios.
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Who are your favourite local designers?
I really love what Jacob Kallin is doing at the moment. He’s a designer from New Zealand, whose work is primarily denim-dominant. He makes these timeless Japanese denim pants and I can just tell he makes them with so much love! I also really love Milkbar. Simon, the owner, is really open about his process and thinking when it comes to clothing, which is interesting.
Special mention to Mutimer as well – Jasper (with the help of his partner Liz) has done a truly wonderful job carving out his niche. Some nice elevated pieces in there with his own flavour have been nice to see.
Keep up with Danny here.
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