What Happened to Emwear After Shark Tank? The Rise, Fall & Rebirth of Emwear’s Founder

In 2016, a young Vietnamese woman Nguyễn Thị Thùy Trang started a fashion brand Emwear with only 7.5 million VND (about $300 USD). What began as a simple sleepwear project quickly turned into one of Vietnam’s most talked-about startup stories.

Trang’s journey was full of hope, struggle, success, and even heartbreak. Her story became even more popular when she appeared on Shark Tank Vietnam and secured a big investment. But what really happened after that? Did the business grow? Did it fail? And where is Emwear now?

Let’s dive into the full story.

How Emwear Started With Just $300

Trang did not come from a wealthy background. She had no big investors, no family business experience, and no team of professionals. All she had was a strong idea and a dream that women could look elegant even at home. She believed that beauty shouldn’t be saved only for going out; it should be part of daily life, including moments of rest and relaxation.

With this mindset, she began designing soft, silky sleepwear that made women feel stylish and confident, even in their bedrooms. Her designs were inspired by Vietnamese culture, with a blend of modern and traditional touches. She sewed the first few outfits herself, packed them by hand, and even modeled in the product photos. Her apartment turned into a small workshop. Every order that came in made her more confident, and every happy customer encouraged her to keep going.

She promoted her designs mainly through Facebook and Instagram. In the beginning, she answered every message herself and delivered many of the packages personally. Her passion, attention to detail, and personal connection with customers helped Emwear gain a loyal following early on.

Emwear’s Shark Tank Vietnam Moment

By 2018, Emwear had already built a solid online presence. Still, Trang wanted to take it to the next level. She needed funding to scale up production, improve her branding, and hire staff. That’s when she decided to appear on Shark Tank Vietnam Season 1.

Her pitch was powerful. Dressed in her own design, Trang shared her journey in front of five seasoned investors. She didn’t just talk about profits and growth: she spoke from the heart. She explained how she built Emwear from scratch, the values behind the brand, and her vision to empower women through fashion.

The investors were impressed. Shark Trần Anh Vương made an offer of 2 billion VND (around $87,000 USD) for a 25% share in Emwear. But even more valuable than the money was the mentorship and trust he gave her. After the show aired, Emwear’s website saw a huge spike in traffic. Thousands of people Googled the brand. Orders increased overnight. Social media followers tripled within weeks.

With the shark’s help, Trang improved her online store, developed new product lines like daywear and dresses, and even opened her first physical boutique in Ho Chi Minh City. She also rebranded Emwear’s logo and packaging to look more polished and luxurious. These changes brought Emwear closer to becoming a national fashion label.

By 2021, just five years after its humble start, Emwear had crossed $1 million USD in total sales, marking a huge milestone for a bootstrapped startup.

From Success to Setback: The Business Trap

At first, it seemed like everything was going perfectly. But behind the scenes, things started moving too fast. Trang, feeling the pressure to maintain her momentum, made several risky decisions. She opened new showrooms in prime locations, hired more full-time staff, and spent heavily on digital advertising. Each step was expensive, and she expected the brand’s rapid growth to cover the costs.

However, the business landscape changed quickly. The COVID-19 pandemic hit, and with it came lockdowns, reduced foot traffic, and delays in production. Customers were spending less on fashion and more on essentials. Online ad prices skyrocketed. At the same time, her team had grown larger, and monthly expenses piled up. The revenue slowed down, but the costs didn’t.

Trang later called this period the “business trap”: a moment when she was chasing growth at the cost of peace. Her brand looked successful from the outside, but on the inside, the stress was growing. She was constantly worrying about cash flow, debt, and staff morale. Despite working harder than ever, the results didn’t match her efforts.

By late 2022, Emwear had lost over 10 billion VND (about $400,000 USD). Trang had poured her heart into a brand that was now falling apart. The very business that once gave her confidence was now shaking her identity.

Rock Bottom: What Nguyễn Thị Thùy Trang Faced Alone

As her business declined, Trang faced more than just financial problems. Her health took a major hit. She had constant headaches, panic attacks, and sleepless nights. She stopped eating properly and dropped weight rapidly. Her relationships suffered. She no longer had time or energy for her loved ones. At times, she felt completely alone.

She stopped sharing updates online. Her presence on Facebook and Instagram disappeared for a while. People assumed the brand was shutting down. Her physical stores closed one by one, and most of her staff had to be let go. At one point, she was handling customer service, packing orders, and managing the website all by herself again. It was just like in the beginning, but this time without the same excitement or energy.

Trang later revealed that she had tried therapy and counseling to deal with the emotional damage. She also said she felt like a failure and struggled with guilt, shame, and fear. Still, something inside her refused to give up. She began asking deeper questions: Why did I start this? What truly matters?

In those quiet, painful moments, Trang discovered that success is not just about being famous or making money. It is about feeling balanced, being honest with yourself, and living a life that feels meaningful.

Rebuilding: A New Kind of Success

Trang didn’t relaunch with fireworks or big campaigns. She took a different route. She focused on rebuilding herself before rebuilding Emwear. She read more books, spent time in nature, and practiced mindfulness. Slowly, her mental health began to improve.

In 2023, she became a mother. That changed everything. Motherhood gave her a new perspective on life. She realized that being present, healthy, and emotionally strong was more important than any number in her business account.

Instead of trying to grow fast again, she decided to keep things simple. She focused on Emwear as a small but steady brand. She returned to the original vision: making beautiful, high-quality clothes for women who care about comfort and style. No pressure. No hype. Just value.

Trang also returned to social media but in a more authentic way. She used TikTok to share behind-the-scenes moments, founder reflections, and honest conversations. Her followers responded well to her realness. They appreciated her for being vulnerable and relatable. Through this approach, Emwear slowly began to recover, not just as a business but as a community-led brand built on trust.

Where Is Emwear Now in 2025?

Today, Emwear is still alive and active, but it looks very different from its past version. It no longer tries to compete with fast fashion giants or open flashy showrooms. Instead, it operates as a lean business. The brand mostly sells online through its official website and engages directly with customers on TikTok and Facebook.

The product line has been refined. Rather than launching dozens of designs each season, Emwear now focuses on smaller batches and timeless styles. Quality is more important than quantity. Customers know they are buying something special, not mass-produced.

While Emwear has not released updated net worth figures publicly, the brand continues to receive stable web traffic, loyal customer orders, and positive engagement. It’s no longer about high-speed growth. It’s about lasting value.

Trang continues to lead the brand but with a healthier mindset. She now balances business with motherhood, self-care, and honest storytelling. Her voice is calm, clear, and inspiring—a true reflection of the peace she once lost and has now regained.

Lessons Founders Can Learn from Emwear’s Journey

Trang’s story teaches us that starting small can lead to big impact. She built a business from scratch, using only determination and creativity. Her Shark Tank win was inspiring, but it also brought pressure. Growth, if rushed, can become a trap. Success must be handled carefully.

Mental health should never be ignored. Trang’s collapse showed that pushing too hard can break even the strongest person. Recovery is not just about fixing the business; it’s about healing the person behind it.

And most importantly, Trang reminds us that success is not a straight line. It can come, go, and come back in a new form. True success is when your business aligns with your personal peace and values. It’s about building something meaningful, not just profitable.

From Fashion Brand to Founder’s Soul

Emwear’s story is more than just a fashion success story. It’s the personal journey of a young woman who believed in her vision, rose to fame, faced massive setbacks, and still chose to rise again.

Nguyễn Thị Thùy Trang’s journey shows that entrepreneurship is not just about money, fame, or even products. It is about growth, courage, and purpose. It is about knowing when to push forward and when to pause. And it is about never letting failure define you.

In the world of fast startups and social media pressure, Trang’s story stands out. Not because of how much she sold, but because of how deeply she learned what truly matters.

And that’s a kind of success that will never go out of style.