Ao dai "tells stories" about culture and tourism in the East

Designer Dang Linh Anh's "Xuan Dan" ao dai collection was inspired by the poems of teacher Chu Van An (photo provided by the facility)

Promote the beauty of Hai Duong

When the melody of the song “Remembering Hai Duong” resounded, the audience was amazed by the Ao Dai with the strong Eastern culture of the three designers Bui Man, Dam Huyen and Thao Van, introduced on the stage of Ho Guom Theater in the Ao Dai performance program “Huong Sac Viet” last March. Images of the walking street, Bach Dang night market, the Eastern Cultural Center, Tranh Temple, Co Island, Con Son, Kiep Bac… appeared for the first time on the graceful, soft Ao Dai.

Ms. Nguyen Thanh Thao, a student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Hanoi), from Ninh Giang district, proudly introduced to her friends the cultural beauty associated with each heritage region of Hai Duong. Ms. Thao said: “Seeing the collection of Hai Duong designers, I felt like my hometown was near. After watching the show, my friends were very eager to soon visit the places that Hai Duong designers introduced on the ao dai”.

Designer Thao Van (Hai Duong City) researches to bring the image of Hai Duong craft village onto Ao Dai

Promoting local culture on ao dai is not new, but for designer Thao Van (Hai Duong City), this is the first time she has implemented this idea. Ms. Thao Van said: “I was lucky to be introduced by the Provincial Women's Union and created conditions for me to attend a course by designer Do Trinh Hoai Nam. Since I was a child, when I came to Con Son - Kiep Bac, where there are old pine hills rustling, Con Son stream murmuring and the majestic Kiep Bac temple gate, I engraved these images in my mind. Therefore, when designing, I immediately came up with the idea of putting these images on the traditional ao dai.”

With the desire to introduce the cultural and tourism beauty of Hai Duong through the language of fashion, designer Dang Linh Anh, from Chi Linh, has painstakingly designed the "Xuan Dan" ao dai collection, inspired by the poem of the same name by Van the Su bieu Chu Van An. This unique ao dai collection was introduced to the public at the Hai Duong Culinary Culture, Tourism and Trade Promotion Week within the framework of the Con Son - Kiep Bac Spring Festival in 2024.

By hand-drawing each stroke, flower, shape, and landscape onto the ao dai, designer Dang Linh Anh skillfully brought viewers back to the space of a spring morning in the 14th century, when teacher Chu Van An went into hiding. Designer Dang Linh Anh shared: “The story of teacher Chu Van An - a teacher of all time needs to be known by many generations. Through the ao dai, teacher Chu's life and career are partly recreated and through this, I want to suggest to viewers to learn and know about the cultural and historical values of the Eastern region”.

Cultural and tourism "Ambassador"

Kinh Mon land is also shown on the designs of Ao Dai (photo provided by the facility)

Assessing the significance of promoting Hai Duong culture and tourism through Ao Dai, a representative of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hai Duong said that in recent years, traditional Ao Dai has been honored. Many events in Hai Duong have featured Ao Dai. Hai Duong people have known how to introduce the cultural beauty, heritage, landscapes, and specialties of the province through unique patterns and motifs printed and embroidered on Ao Dai. Many women wear Ao Dai to famous landscapes, landscapes, and cultural sites in Hai Duong to take photos and post them on social networks. This is also a way to introduce their homeland. Ao Dai has become a "cultural and tourism ambassador".

Women wearing Ao Dai take photos at many relics, famous landscapes and landscapes of Hai Duong to promote the beauty of their homeland (photo provided by the facility)

To promote the image of Ao Dai, arouse love, pride, responsibility to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the homeland in each female member, from 2019 to present, Hai Duong Women's Union has launched and organized many activities to honor Ao Dai associated with promoting local culture. Through the "Ao Dai Week" held annually in the first week of March, Ao Dai charm contests or Ao Dai mass performances, Ao Dai design contests, and Ao Dai donation to women in difficult circumstances held in many localities have contributed to promoting the image of Vietnamese Ao Dai and Eastern culture.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam, Head of the Propaganda and Policy Department (Provincial Women's Union), honoring and promoting the cultural heritage, scenic spots, and specialties of Hai Duong on Ao Dai designs has created a unique and novel feature of this year's "Ao Dai Week". Ao Dai is like a fashion language, becoming a cultural "ambassador" spreading the good traditional values of the Vietnamese people in general and Hai Duong in particular. In the coming time, the Women's Union at all levels in the province will continue to organize Ao Dai performances associated with promoting Hai Duong culture and tourism; spreading the image of women, men, and children in Ao Dai in the press and social networks; connecting and creating conditions for women to be able to learn Ao Dai design...

BAO ANH

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