‘Ao dai’ (Viet Nam's traditional long dress) remains a timeless trend as it features patterns and vignettes which are imbued with the Vietnamese cultural identity.  Though Viet Nam’s famous outfit has taken many forms over the centuries, its allure and appeal has never faded away.

The Quyen Designer shop’s owner, Ms Nguyen Thi Bao Quyen, making hand-drawn patterns for 'ao dais''

In reality, older women like to fit themselves with a classic round-neck ‘ao dai’ that highlights their stature, whist younger wearers opt for more brightly coloured and modern designs. 

The tradition version of ‘ao dai’ features its slim-fitting tunic with long side splits from the waist, worn over palazzo-style trousers, plus long sleeves and high collars, elegantly highlighting the graceful curves of a woman’s body.  Meanwhile, modern, modified ‘ao dais’ feature shorter sleeves, and they can be worn with skirts, trousers, jeans and culottes. 

In particular, these modern ‘ao dais’ carry the same form of the traditional ones but own their own precious value of very expensive hand-embroidery patterns.  Designers could come up with any ideas of patterns from floral, animals, to even manga characters or typography.

Located 52A Nguyen Chi Thanh in Hai Chau District, the Miukstyle Danang shop has built up a good client base of regular customers. 

Having graduated from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics, the shop’s owner, Ms Phan Ngoc Xuan Thao, nurtured a dream of setting up her own business involving offering modern ‘ao dais’ which feature the same core features of the traditional ones, but they feature comfortable fabric materials and a wonderful harmony of patterns and such decorative items as lovely coat buttons and eye-catching artifact flowers. 

The talented lady’s shop has seen a high consumption of its transformed ‘ao dais’ by local consumers of different age groups and visitors from such countries as South Korea and Japan because of their eye-catching colorful designs and reasonable prices.

Ms Thao remarked modern ‘ao dais’ aim to promote the new modern fashion trend amongst the young, in combination with advertising the distinctive Vietnamese cultural values to international friends.

Another shop offering modern ‘ao dais’ is the Quyen Designer at 125 Trung Nu Vuong Street.  In particular, most of the items displayed in the shop, including ‘ao dai’, shirts, dresses and trousers are made of linen decorated with hand-drawn patterns.

The shop’s owner, Ms Nguyen Thi Bao Quyen, has designed all the displayed items.  Quyen said that her clothes feature various different designs, which gives her customers a wide selection.

‘Ao dais’ offered by the LiA Style company show off impressive hand-drawn patterns featuring folk paintings.

Nowadays, it is common to see many local young women put on such ‘ao dais’ with modern designs whilst strolling along streets, taking sightseeing trips, having coffee dates with their friends, and in other occasions.

A young local lady said, “I opt for the modified ‘ao dai’ because it boasts a blend of traditional and modern qualities.  It’s really wonderful to put on these outfits, and take photos together with  flowers on Tet.

It’s a good sign that nowadays Vietnamese youths are paying more attention to the traditional values but in their own unique ways. It’s happy to see Vietnamese can still appreciate a traditional value in the modern days.