This month, the Napapijri Bulletin changes its format to tell the story of the Spring/Summer 2026 WHOAREYOU? campaign. Once a week, we will feature two of its protagonists, opening up conversations that explore the values at the heart of our brand.
Each profile becomes a meeting point: the same questions approached from different angles, the same themes refracted through distinct experiences, uncovering the unexpected connections that emerge from difference.

Authenticity, Belonging, and the Self: Julien Dô Lê Pham and Roxane Mbanga

Authenticity looks different depending on where you stand. For some, it is a return to roots; for others, it is the slow construction of a world where they can finally breathe. In this conversation, Julien Dô Lê Pham and Roxane Mbanga reflect on identity, belonging and the intimate work of staying true to oneself in life, in community, and in the spaces they create for others.

How did you transform what you love into your work life?

JDP: Food has always been my family’s language of love. “Have you eaten?” was our “I love you,” an inheritance from my Vietnamese roots. I didn’t exactly choose this path: it was always there, waiting. I simply stayed true to myself and built a job that didn’t exist yet, one I’ve now lived through for almost fifteen years.

RM: My parents never pushed me toward one career. Instead they asked, “Qu’est‑ce qui te fait vibrer ?”, what makes you come alive? That question has guided everything. I went from architecture to photography to fashion, eventually blending all media into immersive installations. Slowly I built a strategy to turn what I love into something I could live from.

Where do you go when you need time for yourself? Is there a place that feels truly yours?

JDP: Sài Gòn is the place where I slow down and reconnect with my roots. The rhythm of life, human interactions, feel more “normal” to me than anything in the West. When I’m there, exploring my origins becomes a very personal path. In Europe, I escape into the Alps in summer, and in daily life, even my balcony becomes a refuge: the street below is the best TV show there is.

RM: I love people and I love community, but I need quiet to recharge. I go on long nature walks or disappear into the spa. Ideally, though, I travel to Guadeloupe, melt into nature, and reconnect with my ancestors. That’s where clarity and inspiration return.

How did you transform what you love into your work life?

JDP: Food has always been my family’s language of love. “Have you eaten?” was our “I love you,” an inheritance from my Vietnamese roots. I didn’t exactly choose this path: it was always there, waiting. I simply stayed true to myself and built a job that didn’t exist yet, one I’ve now lived through for almost fifteen years.

RM: My parents never pushed me toward one career. Instead they asked, “Qu’est‑ce qui te fait vibrer ?”, what makes you come alive? That question has guided everything. I went from architecture to photography to fashion, eventually blending all media into immersive installations. Slowly I built a strategy to turn what I love into something I could live from.

Where do you go when you need time for yourself? Is there a place that feels truly yours?

JDP: Sài Gòn is the place where I slow down and reconnect with my roots. The rhythm of life, human interactions, feel more “normal” to me than anything in the West. When I’m there, exploring my origins becomes a very personal path. In Europe, I escape into the Alps in summer, and in daily life, even my balcony becomes a refuge: the street below is the best TV show there is.

RM: I love people and I love community, but I need quiet to recharge. I go on long nature walks or disappear into the spa. Ideally, though, I travel to Guadeloupe, melt into nature, and reconnect with my ancestors. That’s where clarity and inspiration return.

It takes courage to be authentic. How do you make space for your true self while fostering belonging?

JDP: Authenticity starts with liking who you are. My values are my compass, and staying true to them is how I build healthy relationships with friends, family, collaborators, or an audience. Being authentic becomes the best filter: it ensures only the good ones stay around you.

RM: For me, authenticity begins with honesty. If a group doesn’t feel right, you leave it or reshape the space so it aligns with you. Much of my work is about building spaces and communities, especially NOIRES, the immersive project where I rebuild the rooms of a home for Black women. It is a refuge, a gathering place, and a space where the intimate becomes political. Creating the world I need and opening it to others like me is how I make space for myself.

Is there a quote, or a teaching, that accompanies you in your journey?

JDP: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” It sounds obvious, but in moments of doubt it’s the sentence that turns hesitation into action. And that tiny action can change everything. The other lesson is simple: cherish your identity. It’s the most precious thing we have.

RM: In 2019, when I felt lost between disciplines, I met designer Tolu Coker. She shared something her mother once told her: “Sometimes you plant a seed in the darkness and keep watering it without knowing. One day it will blossom.” I understood it much later, when I finally saw it happening in my own work.

Do you think being authentic helps build a community?

JDP: Absolutely. Trust holds relationships together, whether personal or professional, and trust only grows from authenticity. The people who stay are the ones who resonate with your values.

RM: Yes, because authenticity frees you. Many people lose themselves trying to fit in, but when you let your inner voice guide you toward the right people, projects, and places, the right community naturally forms around you.

Is there a quote, or a teaching, that accompanies you in your journey?

JDP: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” It sounds obvious, but in moments of doubt it’s the sentence that turns hesitation into action. And that tiny action can change everything. The other lesson is simple: cherish your identity. It’s the most precious thing we have.

RM: In 2019, when I felt lost between disciplines, I met designer Tolu Coker. She shared something her mother once told her: “Sometimes you plant a seed in the darkness and keep watering it without knowing. One day it will blossom.” I understood it much later, when I finally saw it happening in my own work.

Do you think being authentic helps build a community?

JDP: Absolutely. Trust holds relationships together, whether personal or professional, and trust only grows from authenticity. The people who stay are the ones who resonate with your values.

RM: Yes, because authenticity frees you. Many people lose themselves trying to fit in, but when you let your inner voice guide you toward the right people, projects, and places, the right community naturally forms around you.