Thuận Nguyễn Is Proof That Style Only Gets Better With Age
He went from fixing aircraft engines to turning heads on the streets of Vietnam, proving that great tattoos and a late-career glow-up have no sell-by date
- Born to Vietnamese parents and raised in Laos, Thuận Nguyễn spent decades working as an aircraft mechanic before pursuing fashion in his 60s.
- He discovered tattoos at 60, beginning with tributes to his grandchildren before turning body art into another personal passion.
His stylish second act
Thuận Nguyễn has spent roughly four decades proving that a man can have several careers and still know how to dress for all of them. Born to Vietnamese parents and raised in Laos, he trained as an aircraft mechanic before moving to Paris at 20, worked as a mechanic for two decades, later studied accounting, and took on whatever work allowed him to build a stable life for his wife and children.
The wardrobe, however, was never completely abandoned. Come the weekend, out came the tailoring. Even a man covered in engine grease has standards.
The fashionFashionThe art and industry of designing, producing, and styling clothing, footwear, accessories, and beauty trends. It reflects cultural influences, personal expression, and evolving styles across seasons and markets.Go to Fashion Glossary career arrived late, which may explain why he has been having so much fun with it. After returning to Vietnam in 2011, around the age of 60, Thuận began helping visiting Vietnamese artists navigate Parisian boutiques and styling musicians and celebrities in Saigon.
Then street photographers caught him in his element: immaculate tailoring, bold colors, silver hair, and that perfectly calibrated beard. The pictures took off, and suddenly a man entering his seventh decade was being treated like a street-style regular. Since then, he has judged fashionFashionThe art and industry of designing, producing, and styling clothing, footwear, accessories, and beauty trends. It reflects cultural influences, personal expression, and evolving styles across seasons and markets.Go to Fashion Glossary competitions, walked runways, appeared on screen, and established his own bespoke tailoring practice. Retirement was never really on the moodboard.
Making up for lost time
His relationship with tattoos began at the same age. At 60, Thuận got his first pieces: the names and birth dates of his two grandchildren. “They are my everything,” he says. It was meant as a tribute, although one tattoo apparently led to another and the tribute soon became a passion.
He’s never regretted a single piece. There’s something wonderfully fitting about it: a man who spent his early decades dressing for responsibility began his later ones dressing entirely for himself, while carrying the people he loves closest to the skin.
Grandfather, style savant, and tattoo enthusiast. Some men get older. Thuận simply added more accessories.
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Photography and art direction Duke Winn
FashionFashionThe art and industry of designing, producing, and styling clothing, footwear, accessories, and beauty trends. It reflects cultural influences, personal expression, and evolving styles across seasons and markets.Go to Fashion Glossary Pham Minh Tri
Guest editor Dan Q. Dao
Words Lisa Le
Editor Dayne Aduna
Grooming Sol Team
FashionFashionThe art and industry of designing, producing, and styling clothing, footwear, accessories, and beauty trends. It reflects cultural influences, personal expression, and evolving styles across seasons and markets.Go to Fashion Glossary assistant Tyran Ng
Production Dory Mai
On location Oh Stoodiô
Frequently Asked Questions
Thuận Nguyễn is a Vietnamese-born fashion personality, stylist, street-style star, and bespoke tailor known for his impeccable tailoring and tattoos.
Before pursuing fashion, Thuận trained and worked as an aircraft mechanic for two decades in Paris. He later studied accounting before discovering opportunities in styling and fashion.
After returning to Vietnam in 2011, Thuận began styling musicians and celebrities. Street photographers soon noticed his tailoring, silver hair, and tattoos, bringing him wider recognition.
Thuận got his first tattoos at 60, dedicating them to his two grandchildren by having their names and birth dates inked on his body.
Thuận is known for his personal style, bespoke tailoring practice, runway appearances, and work as a stylist and fashion personality. He has also judged fashion competitions and appeared on screen.
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