Showcase of ethnic minority costumes at the ‘Young People – Elegant Dresses’ event in front of the Youth Cultural House in HCMC

Evoking sense of national heritage

“Witnessing my daughter, a university student, resplendent in a violet ‘ao tac’ (a traditional costume of an ethnic minority in Vietnam) amidst a throng of thousands participating in the Guinness World Record attempt for the ‘Largest Gathering Wearing Vietnamese Traditional Costume’, and subsequently performing on Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai (Brothers Overcoming Thousands of Obstacles), singing Mot vong Vietnam (A Round of Vietnam) with renowned artists, evoked such profound emotion. These youths exhibit a palpable pride in their cultural heritage and demonstrate a conscious commitment to preserving and disseminating its intrinsic values”, recounted 47-year-old Le Nguyen Thuy Duong from Binh Thanh District of HCMC.

Thuy Duong’s sentiment is echoed by many who experienced a renewed sense of national vigor at events celebrating traditional attire, and observed the proliferation of ‘ao dai’, regional ethnic costumes, and historical Vietnamese garments in public spaces.

The period since early March has witnessed a series of impactful events, including the 11th HCMC Ao Dai Festival, the Art Tour + Ao Dai, and the 5th ‘Young People – Elegant Dresses' Festival, all within the broader context of the HCMC Youth Festival 2025. These vibrant and diverse activities have fostered significant community engagement. The Ao Dai Festival featured the ‘Hundred Flowers Parade’ of historical costumes, involving 1,000 participants, while the Guinness World Record event saw over 5,000 individuals in ethnic dresses.

Furthermore, concertgoers at the ‘Brothers Overcoming Thousands of Obstacles’ events dressed in traditional Vietnamese garments, such as ‘ao dai,’ ‘ao ba ba’, ‘ao tu than,’ and ethnic costumes from the Northwest and Central Highlands. Young attendees displayed a particular affinity for historical Vietnamese attire, including ‘ao tac,’ ‘ao giao linh,’ and ‘Nhat Binh.’ The ‘Young People – Elegant Dresses’ Festival, featuring the cast of Tham tu kien (Detective Kien) and various beauty queens and singers, presented a compelling visual narrative of Vietnamese traditional costumes across historical epochs.

Bridging historical legacy and contemporary culture

Ton That Minh Khoi, member of the Organization Board for the ‘Young People – Elegant Dresses’ Festival, highlighted the inaugural synchronized performance of Vietnamese costumes, integrated with a flashmob to the song ‘A Round of Vietnam’. The festival’s staged historical events, encompassing the relocation of the capital by Ly Cong Uan, the era of Princess Huyen Tran, the Lam Son uprising, and subsequent periods of prosperity, facilitated an immersive cultural experience.

Additionally, the festival showcased contemporary adaptations of Vietnamese attire, alongside cultural exhibitions, including the Vietnamese Costume Street, Vietnamese folk music performances, ancestor sketching, and Southern regional cultural displays, presented by international cultural organizations.

“This event transcended a mere display of Vietnamese costumes. It served as a platform for the younger generations to assert their role as preservers of cultural heritage, reinterpreting historical narratives in a contemporary context. The resurgence of Vietnamese costumes among young people signifies a growing appreciation for traditional attire”, Minh Khoi affirmed.

32-year-old Dang Thanh Hao, a medical doctor of HCMC Oncology Hospital, observed that recent costume parades have effectively promoted Vietnamese traditional garments, particularly the ‘ao dai’, to international audiences, underscoring national pride and a commitment to cultural preservation.

The ‘Young People – Elegant Dresses’ Festival also hosted a seminar on ‘Northern-Central-Southern Vietnamese Costume Brands’, emphasizing the necessity of accurate historical reconstruction and restoration. This endeavor necessitates collaborative efforts between researchers of historical ethnic costumes and fashion designers, to ensure authentic representations. The seminar also addressed the integration of historical designs into contemporary fashion, recognizing that adaptation is crucial for cultural continuity, provided it respects the integrity of the original designs as historical artifacts.

By Tieu Tan – Translated by Thanh Tam