Twelve years ago, we weren’t just looking for a model. We were searching for the embodiment of something that didn’t quite exist yet—a hospitality brand that would shake up Indochina with its bold, chic energy.

Enter Ngọc Anh Thư, and suddenly, Wink Hotels had found its soul.

Bold, Chic, Sleek And Dynamic

“Bold, chic, sleek and dynamic. A traditional yet modern girl.” That’s how our team described what we were looking for, and Thư delivered all of that in spades.

She wasn’t just posing for photos; she was channeling the very essence of what Wink Hotels would become—a brand that dares to be different while staying authentically rooted.

Discovering The Perfect Face Online

Today, sitting across from Thư at her bustling Cơm Gà Chị Tư restaurant in Phú Nhuận, it’s impossible not to see that same magnetic energy that caught our attention over a decade ago.

“I remember when the Wink team first reached out,” Thư laughs, adjusting her perfectly styled hair while simultaneously checking on a table of customers. “They had discovered my photos online and immediately knew I could embody this idea of modern Vietnamese sophistication—someone who could be elegant at a five-star hotel but also comfortable at a street food stall. It felt like destiny when they contacted me for that first shoot.”

Celebrating Vietnamese Beauty Standards

Picture Wink as a person, and you’d get someone exactly like Thư: curious, energetic, fun, but with an undeniable edge that commands attention.

“What I loved about working with Wink was that they never tried to make me fit into some Western beauty standard,” she explains, pausing to wave at a regular customer. “They celebrated the fact that I could rock a traditional áo dài one day and a sleek modern outfit the next. That’s very Vietnamese, you know? We’re not one thing or another—we’re everything at once.”

The Iconic Red Conical Hat Campaign

Five years ago, when we completed our brand photo set, Thư brought that dynamic energy to every frame—especially in the now-iconic shots featuring Wink’s branded red conical hat.

“That red nón lá shoot was everything,” she recalls with a smile. “It perfectly captured what Wink is about—taking something so traditionally Vietnamese and giving it this bold, modern twist. I felt like I was wearing Vietnam’s heritage with a contemporary edge.”

The images from that campaign, with Thư effortlessly balancing tradition and modernity in Wink’s signature red conical hat, became some of the brand’s most recognizable visuals.

Dreams Beyond The Camera

But the real magic happened between takes, when she’d share stories about her dreams of opening her own restaurant, her love for traditional Vietnamese flavors, and her vision of creating spaces where people could feel both comfortable and inspired.

“I always knew I wanted to do more than just modeling,” Thư admits, her eyes lighting up as she talks about her entrepreneurial journey. “Don’t get me wrong—I love the fashion world, the creativity, the art of it all. But I also wanted to create something tangible, something that would bring people together. Food does that in a way that nothing else can.”

Living The Wink Philosophy

That entrepreneurial spirit is exactly what made her the perfect Wink Girl. Here was someone who didn’t just want to be the face of bold hospitality—she wanted to live it, breathe it, create it herself.

“When I opened Cơm Gà Chị Tư, I approached it the same way Wink approaches hotels,” she explains, gesturing around her beautifully designed space that manages to feel both elevated and approachable. “I wanted to create an experience, not just serve food. The décor, the service, the presentation—everything had to feel special, but also authentic. No pretense, just quality and care.”

The Art Of Balancing Multiple Worlds

The parallels are striking. Just as Wink Hotels refuses to choose between luxury and accessibility, Thư has created a restaurant that elevates street food classics without losing their soul.

“People ask me all the time how I balance modeling with running a restaurant,” she says, effortlessly multitasking as she speaks. “But to me, they’re not that different. Both require you to pay attention to details, to create something beautiful, to make people feel good about themselves. Whether I’m in front of a camera or behind this counter, I’m still performing, still creating experiences.”

A Perfect Partnership Of Values

That philosophy mirrors everything Wink stands for. It’s about refusing to be put in a box, about serving excellence with attitude, about being authentically Vietnamese while appealing to global sensibilities.

“I think that’s why the Wink partnership worked so well,” Thư reflects. “We both believe that luxury doesn’t have to be stuffy, that tradition doesn’t have to be boring, that you can be sophisticated without being pretentious. We’re both a little rebellious in our own ways.”

From Studio Lights To Kitchen Steam

Looking around her restaurant, watching her seamlessly shift from entrepreneur to host to creative visionary, it’s clear that Ngọc Anh Thư didn’t just model for Wink—she became the living, breathing embodiment of what the brand represents.

“Sometimes people are surprised when they see me here, covered in kitchen steam instead of studio lights,” she grins. “But this is me too. This is the full picture. I’m not just one thing, and neither is Vietnam. We’re traditional and modern, street smart and sophisticated, humble and ambitious. That’s what makes us interesting.”

Confidently Complex, Unapologetically Multi-Faceted

Twelve years after first walking into that casting, Ngọc Anh Thư continues to embody the Wink spirit in everything she does. From runway to rice bowls, from photo shoots to restaurant management, she’s proof that the most compelling brand ambassadors aren’t just beautiful faces—they’re dynamic forces who live the values they represent.

“Wink taught me that being authentic doesn’t mean being simple,” she concludes, as the dinner rush begins and her restaurant fills with the energy she’s cultivated. “It means being confidently complex, unapologetically multi-faceted. That’s the most Vietnamese thing of all, and that’s what makes both Wink and Cơm Gà Chị Tư special.”

That’s the Wink difference—and twelve years later, Ngọc Anh Thư is still showing us exactly how it’s done, one perfectly crafted experience at a time.