The Vietnamese designer convincing the young to choose tradition

But Nguyen Duc Loc, a 28-year-old entrepreneur, together with his 11-strong production team in Hanoi, is convinced the attire of their ancestors can make a return to modern-day living.

Hanoi: Youngsters eager to show off the costumes on social media are lapping up the creations Made from delicate silk, intricately embroidered and with vast, flared sleeves: Vietnamese 19th-century outfits do not seem a perfect fit for life in the country’s hectic modern cities.

But Nguyen Duc Loc, a 28-year-old entrepreneur, together with his 11-strong production team in Hanoi, is convinced the attire of their ancestors can make a return to modern-day living.

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“My ambition is that in any Vietnamese wardrobe, as well as suits, trousers, dresses, there will be at least one outfit based on an ancient style to wear on important occasions,” like festivals and weddings, he said.

Based on his own research, Loc and his company Y Van Hien reproduce outfits largely from the Nguyen dynasty that spanned close to a century and a half from 1802 — a time when the ruling class wore extravagant, brightly coloured designs embellished with symbols of power, such as dragons.

He wants everyone, both men and women, to appreciate the “astonishing beauty” of ancient imperial-style dress, he says, and understand the part this clothing plays in Vietnam’s cultural history.

In one of their first major commissions, Y Van Hien was asked to produce costumes for Phuong Khau, an 18-episode YouTube drama about the emperor and empress of the Nguyen Dynasty.
Despite some criticism that the designs have strayed too far from the originals, they are also seeing a growing interest among young people.

Many choose to rent an outfit for a photoshoot, with prices starting at $17.

Although a far more comfortable and modern prospect than royal 19th-century clothing, some say they are too restrictive and impractical in today’s world.

Nevertheless, a simplified version of a woman’s ao dai still forms part of some school uniforms in the south and central regions, is worn by flight attendants on flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and is embraced by many on special occasions.