This year’s event highlighted the grace of Hanoi’s Ao dai which reflects Thang Long’s traditional features. On the stage designed with brilliant and glistening lights and purple colours of Thach thao flowers, designs by 32 fashion designers nationwide were showcased with the background music of songs about Hanoi, revealing the beauty, gracefulness and gentleness of Hanoi girls in particular and Vietnamese women in general.According to famous designer Minh Hanh, Creative Director of the festival, Ao dai is a traditional costume that can convey many messages about Vietnam’s culture.
With their creativeness, designers brought a new vitality to the Vietnamese traditional long dress through patterns and images of girls, a pottery road, Khue Van pavilion, the Tortoise Tower, Hanoi’s Old Quarter and even propaganda pictures. Some designers were also inspired by paintings by Bui Xuan Phai, Tran Nguyen Dan and Pham Binh Chuong to create designs imbued with Hanoi’s culture.All are processed using new techniques that make Ao dai designs look both modern and traditional.
During the fashion show, Ao dai designs were modeled on the stage with scenes of daily life, such as vendors with their baskets of flowers, cycling and riding cyclos on the streets. All depicted the thousand-year-old capital. This festival attracted the participation of Nguyen Thi Sinh, 92 years old, who is the wife of late painter Bui Xuan Phai.
According to Nguyen Duc Chung, member of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee, Hanoi Ao dai Festival 2016 provided a chance for enterprises in fashion and tourism in Hanoi to share experience, introduce products and look for partners.
Story: Ngan Ha - Photos: Khanh Long
With their creativeness, designers brought a new vitality to the Vietnamese traditional long dress through patterns and images of girls, a pottery road, Khue Van pavilion, the Tortoise Tower, Hanoi’s Old Quarter and even propaganda pictures. Some designers were also inspired by paintings by Bui Xuan Phai, Tran Nguyen Dan and Pham Binh Chuong to create designs imbued with Hanoi’s culture.All are processed using new techniques that make Ao dai designs look both modern and traditional.
 National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Hanoi authorities attend Hanoi Ao dai Festival 2016.  The space in the Thang Long Imperial Citadel looks brilliant with colourful lights.  200 models in Ao dai and Non (conical hat) perform to start the festival.  Many traditional instrumentalists also participate in the festival.  Designs are performed with the background of traditional music.  The festival attracts a large number of Hanoians and foreign tourists. |
| Attending the festival entitled “ the Quintessence of Vietnam’s Ao dai” were the Politburo/National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, ambassadors and representatives from embassies, international organizations in Vietnam, researchers, collectors, artists, artisans and designers nationwide. |
According to Nguyen Duc Chung, member of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee, Hanoi Ao dai Festival 2016 provided a chance for enterprises in fashion and tourism in Hanoi to share experience, introduce products and look for partners.
 The image of Hanoi girls of the past wearing Ao dai on cyclos.  Meritorious artist Thu Ha and the collection of Ao dai designs made from Van Phuc silk by designer La Hang.  Children models participate in the event.  The wife of Haitian Ambassador to Vietnam models a design by Duyen Huong.  The 92-year-old wife of late famous painter Bui Xuan Phai, Nguyen Thi Sinh, is a special guest of the event.  The stage with scenes reminding viewers of daily life of Hanoi girls in the past.  Vietnamese girls look graceful in Ao dai and conical hats.  Ao dai flaps with images of beautiful places in Hanoi.  Ancient architectural features of Hanoi are used to decorate Ao dai designs by Chula.  Ao dai designs are inspired from rural landscapes of Vietnam.  The images of the national flag are used to decorate Ao dai designs.  The image of lotus flowers are skillfully presented on flaps of Ao dai. |
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Hanoi Ao dai Festival 2016 was jointly organised by Hanoi City’s People’s Committee and the Vietnam Women’s Union at the Centre for Preservation of Thang Long Heritage. The festival also included exhibitions, art and cultural activities; a workshop on Ao dai; a competition on drawing on an Ao dai for children; a performance of Ao dai and traditional music; a cyclo and motorbike parade on the streets; and aprocession to honour the ancestors and artisans of traditional crafts. |
Story: Ngan Ha - Photos: Khanh Long
