Traditional Vietnamese clothing is making a comeback.

From museums to everyday life, from nostalgia to creativity, Vietnamese traditional clothing, especially ancient costumes, is making a comeback in modern fashion, with unexpected vitality and long-term potential.

From ceremonial spaces to market phenomena

For a long time, traditional Vietnamese clothing such as the áo tấc, ngũ thân tay chôn, nhật bình, khăn vấn, etc., only appeared on stage, in museums, or in historical films. However, recently, a strong wave of revival has surged. Traditional Vietnamese clothing is now appearing on the streets, in wedding studios, music videos, festivals, and international events. From ceremonial spaces, traditional Vietnamese clothing has stepped into everyday life, becoming a symbol of contemporary national identity.

A Vietnamese traditional costume show will be held at the Bach Hoa Bo Hanh festival in Hue City in June 2025, an event that attracted thousands of attendees.

PHOTO: BTC

The resurgence of traditional Vietnamese clothing shows that it is not just a nostalgic trend, but is taking shape as a distinctly Vietnamese aesthetic symbol. Traditional Vietnamese clothing now serves as a bridge between art and life, past and present, individual and community, creating a vibrant, distinctive, and sustainable cultural flow.

At heritage sites and ancient landmarks such as Thang Long Imperial Citadel, the Hue Imperial Citadel complex (including the Hue Imperial Palace), and many other historical sites, shops renting traditional Vietnamese clothing are increasingly appearing. Tourists come to visit and "transform" themselves into kings, queens, court ladies, officials, etc., then take photos against the backdrop of the historical sites, creating beautiful memories for themselves while spreading the value of the landmarks and bringing back an increasing appreciation for traditional Vietnamese clothing.

New cultural trends

Starting from traditional costume photoshoots and folk culture cosplay on social media, Vietnamese traditional clothing has become an integral part of the vibrant cultural life of young people. In major cities like Hanoi , Hue, and Ho Chi Minh City, many studios specializing in Vietnamese traditional clothing photography have emerged, leading to the development of rental and tailoring services. Rental prices typically range from a few hundred thousand to a few hundred thousand dong per session, while custom tailoring costs from a few hundred thousand to a few million dong – a reasonable price range that makes Vietnamese traditional clothing accessible to a wide audience of traditional culture enthusiasts.

The Hundred Flowers Walking Festival will take place in March 2025 on the central streets of Ho Chi Minh City.

Photo: Pham Hong Soi

Beyond the realm of photography, Vietnamese traditional clothing (Vietnamese ao dai) is prominently featured in large-scale community cultural events. For example, the "Viet Phuc Hanh" event – ​​a parade and performance of traditional costumes (initiated and organized by director and singer David Le) – took place in early 2025 in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. This event set a Vietnamese record (VietKings) for "The parade and performance of Vietnamese traditional costumes with the largest number of participants," attracting thousands of young people including students, models, businesspeople, artists, and lovers of national culture. Participants wore distinctive traditional Vietnamese costumes such as the Nhat Binh, Ao Tac, and Ngu Than Tay Chen dynasties; the Giao Linh and Doi Kham dynasties; the Tu Than, traditional Ao Dai, and Ao Ba Ba, combined with headscarves, wooden clogs, and traditional jewelry, creating a colorful and culturally rich atmosphere.

The Hundred Flowers Walking Festival in Hanoi

PHOTO: VAN THUY LIEN

Similarly, "Bach Hoa Bo Hanh" (Hundred Flowers Walking), an annual art parade, attracts thousands of participants from each region, including many artists, beauty queens, male and female students, and representatives from cultural organizations and businesses. They showcase traditional Vietnamese attire on central streets, spreading the beauty of tradition and inspiring the preservation of cultural heritage through a "walk" in the spirit of Vietnam. The performances in Ho Chi Minh City last March and Hue last June each attracted over 1,000 participants.

In music , Vietnamese traditional costumes are also appearing more and more frequently. Songs like "Bac Kim Thang" (Hoang Thuy Linh), " Khong The Cung Nhau Suot Kiet " (Hoa Minzy), and "To Dong Thanh Thot" (Vu Thuy Linh)... all gained popularity thanks to their music and the meticulously recreated, highly symbolic depictions of ancient Vietnamese costumes.

Going out into the world

On the international stage, Vietnamese traditional costumes are chosen by Vietnamese beauty queens as a cultural highlight. At Miss Supranational 2025, Miss Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen impressed with her "Co Doi Thuong Ngan" costume – inspired by the Mother Goddess worship, combining an elaborate ceremonial robe and headdress. Miss Huynh Tran Y Nhi participated in the Dance of the World segment (Miss World) with a "Dance of the Great Forest" costume designed in a stylized way from the Central Highlands culture, combining traditional brocade and tassels.

Mother and daughter wear traditional Vietnamese clothing to participate in the Bach Hoa Walking Tour event in Ho Chi Minh City, March 2025.

Photo: Pham Hong Soi

The resurgence of traditional Vietnamese clothing shows that it is not just a nostalgic trend, but is taking shape as a distinctly Vietnamese aesthetic symbol. Traditional Vietnamese clothing now serves as a bridge between art and life, past and present, individual and community, creating a vibrant, distinctive, and sustainable cultural flow.

The Hundred Flowers Walking Festival in Hue, June 2025

Photo: Organizing Committee

Workshops on embroidering ancient patterns, talk shows on dynastic art, and competitions in drawing folk costumes have also flourished, demonstrating the enduring cultural appeal of Vietnamese traditional clothing among young people.

Artist Vu Thuy Linh in traditional Vietnamese attire and accessories.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT

Six years ago, Pham Dong, founder of Dong Creative, realized that Vietnam possessed valuable cultural resources that could be developed into a creative industry, but were being neglected. While traditional Chinese and Korean costumes were gaining popularity, Vietnamese traditional clothing remained a memory. He chose Vietnamese traditional clothing as a way to rekindle love for culture through fashion, with designs primarily inspired by the Le Trung Hung era, using Nha Xa silk and preserving traditional shapes and patterns. In addition to design, he also creates AI-integrated videos on digital platforms, attracting a large number of young people.

Miss Huynh Tran Y Nhi (left) participated in the Dance of the World segment of Miss World wearing the "Dance of the Great Forest" costume, a stylized design inspired by the culture of the Central Highlands.

Photo: MW

Artist Vu Thuy Linh shared that her album " Silk Threads of Melodious Music" uses traditional ao dai (Vietnamese long dress) as a journey to spread Vietnamese culture through fashion, combining it with traditional musical instruments to honor traditional beauty. She, along with stylist Hoai An, photographer Nguyen Long, and designers Cao Minh Tien, Lasen Vu, Pham Hoa, and Dan Huong, developed a diverse concept, ranging from traditional to contemporary. "I believe Vietnamese traditional clothing can thrive alongside contemporary art," artist Vu Thuy Linh affirmed.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/co-phuc-viet-troi-day-185250712230046666.htm