David Minh Duc fashion night opens a series of heritage activities in Hanoi's Old Quarter

Designer David Minh Duc has launched the ao dai collection “30-year journey to honor the heritage of Vietnamese ao dai”. Photo: BTC

Speaking at the event, Chairman of Hoan Kiem Ward People's Committee Trinh Hoang Tung emphasized that the work of preserving and promoting heritage values has always been given special attention by the locality, considering this an important task contributing to promoting the development of cultural industry, attracting tourists and spreading the spirit of "Creative City" of Hanoi Capital. The art program combined with fashion show showcasing Ao Dai heritage is the opening activity for a series of events celebrating the 20th anniversary of Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day in Hanoi's Old Quarter.

The highlight of the program was the launch of the Ao Dai collection “30-year journey to honor the heritage of Vietnamese Ao Dai” by designer David Minh Duc, who has been associated with and built the Ao Dai brand for the past 30 years. The collection includes 50 Ao Dai designs performed by 45 famous Vietnamese models.

Ao dai collections with the idea of mother worship. Photo: BTC

Unlike the usual fashion shows at fashion weeks, this show is not a typical collection presentation. It is a multimedia art performance combining fashion, lighting, dance and installation art. Through the language of fashion, David Minh Duc tells his own story about the path of restoring, preserving and spreading the heritage of Vietnamese ao dai.

Sharing about the designs in the collection “30-year journey to honor the heritage of Vietnamese ao dai”, designer David Minh Duc said that he came to fashion through “Mother’s hand”. As a child, his mother was the one who taught him each needle and thread, taught him to feel the softness of silk, the patience of tailoring and the sophistication of Asian culture. It was his love for his mother and later his gratitude to Vietnamese women that shaped the fashion path he chose.

Ao dai sets from the "Offering Model" collection were performed in the program. Photo: Organizing Committee

From wedding fashion to ao dai, then to Vietnamese costume restoration projects, David Minh Duc has gradually become a representative face in the fashion industry. His ao dai have appeared in many fashion capitals of the world ; his Vietnamese costume designs are highly appreciated for their standards, cultural and artistic erudition.

One of the most important moments in his career was when he visited the Fujian Assembly Hall (Relic No. 40 Lan Ong) during a walk in Hanoi's Old Quarter. Here, he deeply felt the sacred energy of Thien Hau Thanh Mau - the goddess who protects the people of the river region.

Moved by the image of the Holy Mother, David Minh Duc spent many months researching, designing and making Vietnamese costumes "Offering to the Mother" as a gesture of gratitude from the son of Hanoi to the Holy Mother revered by the people. From here, he began to shape his own school of design, which is fashion associated with spirituality, culture and profound spiritual values.

The program introducing the collection “30-year journey to honor the heritage of Vietnamese Ao Dai” by designer Minh Duc opened a series of activities to introduce heritage in Hanoi's Old Quarter. Photo: Organizing Committee

The designs in the collection are all crafted from typical Asian materials such as Ha Dong silk, Tan Chau satin, Korean organza, Indian taffeta, Shanghai brocade... bearing traditional nuances. On the background of these materials are elaborate hand-embroidered motifs, bold folk colors, bold cuts but still retaining the Vietnamese spirit.

During more than 30 years of his career, David Minh Duc has not only designed Ao Dai but also researched the history of Vietnamese costumes, restored many types of ancient Vietnamese costumes, inspired the younger generation, and brought the image of Vietnamese Ao Dai to international friends. It is a long process of perseverance, passion, and responsibility for national culture.

With the designs in the collection "Dong Mau" presented this time, David Minh Duc not only creates beauty but also sends gratitude: gratitude to Mother, gratitude to Vietnamese women, gratitude to the cultural values that have nurtured him throughout his career.

Born and raised in Hanoi, David Minh Duc is known as one of the pioneering fashion designers who brought the Vietnamese Ao Dai to the international and ceremonial arena. Since the age of 13, when he was a young man passionate about hair and wedding dress design, he has nurtured the dream of renewing traditional costumes for Vietnamese people. He has designed Ao Dai for contestants in international competitions such as Miss Earth 2007...

The program “30-year journey to honor the heritage of Vietnamese Ao Dai” was held in the space of Hanoi’s Old Quarter – a symbol of cultural exchange, a place to preserve memories and ancient architecture. David Minh Duc believes that combining Ao Dai with the Old Quarter is a way to “let Ao Dai breathe in its proper environment”.

He said: “The Old Quarter is where the Hanoi ao dai used to be present every day. I want to bring it back to the streets, back to life, not just appearing on the catwalk.” This helps this collection not only be beautiful outfits but also a heritage that is revived and admired in a local space.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/dem-thoi-trang-david-minh-duc-mo-dau-cho-chuoi-hoat-dong-di-san-tai-pho-co-ha-noi-723463.html