Edmond Luu: The path from Dior to Pièces Uniques

Edmond Luu is a Paris-based artist whose creative journey stretches to accommodate myriad lives and worlds—cultural, spiritual and artistic. Born to a Cambodian father and Vietnamese mother, Edmond grew up on the outskirts of Villepinte, a suburb in Seine-Saint Denis near Paris. His propensity for the creative took shape early through drawing, Photoshop experiments and music, nurtured by eight years in a conservatory mastering opera arias, guitar and piano. But it was fashion that eventually laid claim over his restless creative energy, becoming his language of expression. 

Edmond’s brand, Pièces Uniques, began as a student project, a minor experiment in reimagining fashion within the confines of his bedroom. The seed for the concept blossomed into a signature label, distinguished for its clean, structured silhouettes and a monochromatic palette that brings elegance to contemporary street style. The name of the brand is reflective of its principles—each creation is intended to stand apart, born from a desire that Edmond had to create pieces that he genuinely wanted to wear. “It’s always about creating a world of my own, whether through textiles or images,” Edmond explains to Dazed MENA. “I love the fact that I can create a world where I write my own rules and my own aesthetic.”

Having studied advertising, Edmond’s talents landed him at global creative agency Publicis 133—representative of some of the most successful brands in the world—followed by a stint at Parfums Christian Dior, where he swiftly ascended to the role of artistic director. The prominence of the position and the pressure that came with it refined his eye for detail and image-making, honing the kind of meticulous perfectionism that has become a hallmark of his brand. This level of excellence is something he strives to maintain, and he finds it within the array of cultures he continues to explore:  “I love Japanese culture, which never ceases to impress me and inspire me,” Edmond explains, speaking about his influences. “I think their connection with excellence is wonderful, and very similar to our love of perfection in France.”

Edmond’s openness toward different ways of life gave the brand a fresh, syncretic feel. But it’s not just his designs that face the sway of this exposure; Edmond himself was deeply malleable in identity. In his late twenties, the artist converted to Islam, adopting the name Emin (meaning ‘loyalty’). For Edmond, this shift in spirituality was a deepening of purpose, a way to infuse his work with the beliefs that ground him. “I grew up in the Paris suburbs surrounded by Muslims, which gave me the chance to discover different origins and different traditions, which nourished me,” Edmond says. “Today, I’ve converted to Islam and I’m proud of it.”

The faith that has shaped his identity is evident in the philosophy he holds for Pièces Uniques, along with his ambitions for the future of the fashion world. The artist remains rooted in a belief that prioritises meaningful creativity over industry hype. He underscores that a commitment to integrity and mutual respect is as fundamental as the cut of a garment. “I want to create a less toxic fashion, a fashion where it’s cool to have healthy values.”

For much of the last decade, the artist lived a double life—by day, bolstering Dior’s legacy, and by night, pouring his energy into his own burgeoning label. In 2022, Edmond made the decisive leap, leaving Dior to devote himself entirely to Pièces Uniques. In the years since his full-time commitment to the brand, Edmond has expanded his artistic vision. This year, he put out ‘Première Fois’, a short film shot in Japan that received critical acclaim, winning three awards during the Cannes pub. His collaboration with artists such as Ty Dolla $ign and a partnership with Final Fantasy have pushed his work onto new stages. The effort was not without reward: “I’ve just won the ANDAM fashion award with the Pierre Bergé prize, which was a decisive moment in my life,” Edmond shares with Dazed. 

Edmond is not preoccupied with grand ambitions of reinvention, choosing instead to focus on the act of being present with his craft, embracing the humble growth that comes from appreciating where he stands. “I don’t think there’s anything I want to change right now,” Edmond admits. “I’m navigating my creativity and I’m grateful for what I have. I think that’s the key to happiness. Knowing how to look back with gratitude and knowing how to see the future with humility and dreaming.”

There’s something to be said about such an ethos, rooted in the humility of someone who has seen and drawn wisdom from much of the world. With his sights set on cultivating a fashion world that values sincerity over spectacle, Edmond is an artist whose greatest ambition is simply to stay true to the creative spirit that set him on his path. When Dazed probed the artist about his upcoming projects, he only responded: “You will see.” Call it ominous mischief or sanguine manifestation, we’re calling it a decided fact.