My Style. My City. My Story.

Saigon has a way of pulling you off the map.

That is part of what I have been exploring through my ongoing project, My Style. My City. My Story. It is a series built around a simple idea. This project begins with the person. Their style. Their city. Their story. The clothes and the location help bring that story into focus.

For this photoshoot in Saigon, I photographed Roselye in three outfits across three different parts of the city. Each look opened a different mood. Each location shifted the emotional tone. This set, featuring a BRAXTON dress styled with pieces from her own wardrobe, felt especially alive. It carried something layered and unexpected. A sense of transformation. A sense of play.

Roselye led me into a part of Saigon I had never visited before. It felt half hidden, half discovered.

Not polished.

Not curated.

Just real.

Narrow streets. Open storefronts. Motorbikes. Metal shutters. Bright daylight falling into worn spaces. The kind of place that does not ask to be romanticized because it already has character. The kind of place that feels less like a backdrop and more like an encounter.

That mattered. Because this project is not about placing fashion on top of a city. It is about giving space to the story the person wants to tell, then letting style and environment help bring that story into view.

Roselye in Motion

Roselye moves through modeling with the spirit of someone who refuses to stay fixed. Over the course of our conversations, what stood out to me was not just her experience as a model, stylist, and content creator, but the way she sees identity itself as something fluid. Something that keeps changing. She does not seem interested in becoming one finished version of herself. She seems more interested in remaining open, surprising, and in motion.

You can feel that in these images. There is precision in how she holds the frame, but there is also restlessness. A refusal to become too neat. The strongest moments do not come from perfection. They come from personality. From instinct. From those slightly unusual poses and expressions that feel less rehearsed and more lived. More hers.

That was part of what made this BRAXTON look work so well in this corner of Saigon. The dress catches light in a way that keeps shifting, almost like oil on water, while the darker sheer layers ground it. Styled with her own pieces, it stops feeling like a single fashion statement and starts feeling personal. Claimed. Worn with intention. The look becomes less about dressing up and more about self definition.

A Forgotten Corner of Saigon

Roselye told me she is drawn to places with history, forgotten places, and places that feel like an adventure. I understood that immediately once we started shooting here. There was texture everywhere. Wood. Metal. Dust. Plastic. Sunlight. Small details that made the space feel discovered rather than designed. In that environment, the editorial took on something more human. Fashion stayed present, but it did not dominate. Story did.

That balance matters to me more and more.

In a visual world that moves quickly and constantly asks for more, I keep returning to the people in front of my camera. As individuals trying to stay connected to themselves while moving through an industry that can easily ask for too much. Roselye spoke honestly about that tension. About how modeling can blur the line between performance and selfhood. About how important it is to keep your humanity intact. To keep living. To keep growing. To accept that not every day will feel like a victory, and to keep going anyway.

I think that honesty sits quietly inside these photographs too.

There is strength here, yes. But there is also openness. Curiosity. A sense of someone still writing her own diary in real time. That may be what I love most about this series. It reminds me that fashion editorial photography can still hold something intimate. Not just style, but selfhood. Not just image, but memory. Not just a look, but a life in motion.

That is what My Style. My City. My Story. keeps asking. Who are you here. In this city. In this moment. In these clothes. In this light.

Photoshoot Credits

Model: Nguyễn Ngọc Ánh Ngân (Roselye)
Fashion Designer: BRAXTON
Photographer: Paul Tocatlian

THE INTERVIEW

Can you introduce yourself and share a little about who you are?

Hello, my name is Roselye. I am 25 years old, and I have been working as a model, stylist, and content creator for five years.

What first inspired you to start modeling?

At first, I just wanted to try something new and gain experience, and modeling came to me very naturally. I think deep down, my soul already wanted this, but at that time I was just too realistic.

Then I started to love it more and more every day. I got to work with creative people and learn more about myself, understand my own language better, become more personal, and be more myself. It makes me feel like every picture is part of my diary, showing everyday life and every change in my life. I am so proud to be part of a creative community because I thought I was supposed to work in an office and have a normal job, but now I have become exactly the person I dreamed of being when I was a child.

How hard was it to begin modeling, and what made it challenging?

I think one hard thing about modeling is that your body does not always feel like it fully belongs to you, because every movement and every reaction can become part of someone else’s imagination, and you have to balance that with still being yourself.

Another challenge is that we are part of the fashion industry, so every day there is a new face and a new brand, and some of them disappear just as quickly. That challenges you to be professional, fast, adaptable, and still interesting. I think it can become harder and harder because we are competing with so much, including AI. But there is no real place for perfection, and that is also a good thing, because personality is something AI does not have.

How would you describe yourself as a model?

Haha, this is the question I like the most. I am the kind of model who never stays the same. I never stay with one hairstyle, one character, or one place, and I can always surprise people, maybe in ways they do not expect.

I change without permission.

What do you enjoy most about being in front of the camera?

I enjoy creating strange poses, unusual reactions, or sometimes just relaxing and being myself in the most natural, iconic, and unforgettable way for me and the client. I feel like I can be a child again, enjoy everything, and make people love it. That is one of the most inspiring things I can do for myself.

What kinds of photoshoots feel most exciting or meaningful to you?

Hmm, I cannot really compare because every photoshoot is different, and I enjoy every moment of it. But usually, I really appreciate good feedback and a happy environment.

Do you prefer working in a studio, on location, or on a runway, and why?

Can I just choose everything?

What makes a location feel inspiring or exciting to you?

Abandoned places, forgotten places, historical places, or somewhere with deep culture. They make me feel like I am going to explore and go on an adventure.

How do you usually prepare before a photo shoot?

I try to sleep well, eat well, stay calm, and prepare carefully so I do not forget anything at home, like my phone charger, makeup, or laptop. That is usually enough for me to stay longer and feel less tired. Sometimes I over-prepare and bring things like a sleeping chair, skincare, or a book, almost like I am going on a trip.

In what ways do you like to contribute beyond modeling during a photo shoot?

I kind of like art direction, and I used to be a stylist, but honestly I can be a little lazy, so just being part of the production is enough for me, I think. I understand that everyone works very hard, so if it is just for fun or for personal projects, that feels good to me. I get stressed and burned out easily.

What stood out to you most about our shoot together in Vietnam?

It felt like going on vacation with a friend and coming back with very interesting pictures seen through a professional eye.

Outside of modeling, what else do you do or enjoy spending your time on?

A lot. My goal is to try many things so I do not overwork myself. I need to feel alive, live my life, and stay interesting too, so I enjoy all kinds of creative activities. I write poems and diary entries every day, customize cheap or secondhand clothes, decorate my home, take care of trees and birds, learn new recipes, paint, even if I am not very good at it, play sports, travel, and go to interesting events.

What have you learned about yourself through modeling?

What I have learned is kind of deep. From all my experiences, what I want to tell my friends who are models or influencers is this: you are not a machine. Stop chasing perfection. Stop worrying about why people do not choose you. Go out more. Travel more. Understand that this world is very big and we are all small. This industry moves very fast, but we are human. Some days I am a winner, some days I am not. The most important thing is to keep going and still enjoy it, make your photos become a diary collection, grow your social media, and grow your personality. Everything is going to be alright.

When people see your photos, what do you hope they feel or understand about you?

I allow people to feel whatever they want to feel and understand different meanings in their own way, as long as they do not bother me if their meaning is different.

For brands, designers, models, and other creatives looking to create inspiring imagery, let’s connect. From fashion editorials to runway coverage to publishing your work, let’s explore how fashion and storytelling intersect, and where your next project might lead.

© Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved.

Fashion & Editorial Photography