Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Fifteen fashion designers across the country will gather toshowcase their newest collections of aodai (Vietnamese traditional dress) during a fashion show taking placetonight at Thai Hoc yard in the Temple of Literature in Hanoi.

The show, entitled Ao Dai Cua Chung Ta (OurAo Dai), will present more than 600 ao dai made of silkand delicate ramie fabric by designers from HCM City, Hanoi, Hue, Tien Giang, CanTho, and Dak Lak. The event is part of the initiative called ‘Vietnam’sHeritage of Ao Dai’ that was launched in 2019 by the Vietnam Women'sUnion.

Speaking at a press conference about the event, Vice President of the VietnamWomen's Union Bui Thi Hoa said: “Ao dai is part of our Vietnamesecultural heritage. The outfit has been influenced by the changing of historyand developed to become an iconic image of Vietnamese women. In the currentcontext of strong international integration, the preservation and promotionof Vietnamese culture, through the honour of this national dress, isextremely necessary."

International award-winning Vietnamese designer Minh Hanh, who is the artdirector of the show, said that each designer should take responsibility in thepreservation and promotion of the Vietnamese national dress.

Mentioned the materials of the dress presented during the show, she said:“While silk is beautiful, the delicate ramie fabric is more friendly.”

“Although ramie fibre is popular, the delicate ramie fabric is still somethingnew for most of us. This natural material is really a gift from theenergetic work of GAI AP team [a company specialising in ramieplanting and production],” the designer said.

Each collection presented during the night has been created with inspiration fromother foreign cultures.

While designer Trung Beret from Dak Lak will unveil his collection inspired bythe culture of neighbouring country Laos, the collection by designer Tran ThienKhanh from Hue takes inspiration from the hanbok of the Republic of Korea.

Miss Vietnam 2010 Dang Thi Ngoc Han, who is an ao dai designer,will also join the event with her collection featuring typical Indian patterns.

“Having the chance to travel all over the world, I maintain a habit to createVietnamese ao dai presenting cultural features of thecountries where I’ve been. In 2018, coming back from a business trip to Indiawhere I’ve been to showcase Vietnamese ao dai, I created four aodai featuring hand-painted decorative patterns of India,” Hantold Vietnam News.

Former Miss Vietnam said it took her only two weeks to complete the collectionof 15 ao dai for the show tonight.

The Hanoi-based Spanish designer Del Valle Cortizas Diego will bring to theevent his collection from the Chula brand.

The show Ao Dai Cua Chung Ta will also present collectionsinspired by other countries such as Thailand, China, Japan, Egypt, the US,Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Russia.

Especially, some “special models” will be seen on the catwalk which will beadorned by thousands of ramie plants. They are veteran movie stars Tra Giang,Hoang Cuc, Thu Ha, Lan Huong, and Minh Hoa.

In addition, wives of Indian, Laos, and Belarusian ambassadors will join othermodels to present ao dai during the show./.