I still cherish the dress my mother wore.
A K'ho girl in the Di Linh plateau gazes affectionately at the clothes she has sewn. On the other side, the mannequins shed their monotony and awkwardness when adorned with wedding dresses and brocade suits. Stones, silver, beads, and glitter transform each dress into a sophisticated work of art.
Ka Hoan shared: “In the past, my mother traveled to various villages, buying and selling brocade fabrics. She would take measurements of anyone who needed them and send them to tailors to make traditional dresses and blouses. Thanks to those brocade garments, my mother raised me; then I learned the trade and became a seamstress and designer of brocade fashion right here in my village.”
"I'm learning tailoring and brocade design to thank my mother and to preserve the beautiful values of our ancestors. Beauty in every detail, beauty in every line, beauty in every pattern is the dream I pursue," Ka Hoan added.
Each modern wedding dress, made from brocade, takes Ka Hoan and her associates such as Ka Nhan, Ka Dung, etc., a whole week, from brainstorming ideas, taking measurements, cutting fabric, assembling parts, and attaching rhinestones and beads for decoration. Traditional men's suits or jackets take about 3 days to complete. If male clients request trendy suit styles, the process may take longer because it requires combining brocade with various other fabrics.
Born in 1992, Ka Hoan easily accessed technology and smartphones to learn sewing and, more advancedly, design, gaining knowledge of various fashion styles. This further enhanced her work and passion. Therefore, Ka Hoan not only designs brocade for people in her villages but also for people of other ethnic groups. Even tourists from Europe visiting the Di Linh plateau seek out her small house in the village to find unique dresses and clothing from this romantic region.
K'Tuyen, a resident of Gia Hiep commune, came to Ka Hoan's house to have traditional clothing made. He shared that the villagers always preserve the unique and beautiful characteristics of their ethnic group. Having traditional brocade made in a modern style allows him to keep pace with the times. He often chooses to wear these modernized brocade vests for festivals, celebrations, and weddings in his village.
For generations, the simple, honest people of the Southern Central Highlands have strived to preserve their traditional beauty. And what could be more beautiful than when tradition is transformed and modernized by skillful hands to suit new fashion styles?
Modernization in order to preserve tradition.
Life is becoming increasingly modern. Festivals and weddings are also following new trends. But in the villages of the Southern Central Highlands, the K'ho and Ma people always preserve and promote the beautiful traditional values of their ethnic group. In wedding ceremonies, the bride and groom always choose traditional brocade clothing for their big day.
Fashion has always been a fascinating pursuit for people. During my trips to Loc Tan (now part of Ward 2, Bao Loc), I was always impressed by the outfits worn by couples taking wedding photos. Huynh Sang, a professional wedding photographer in this area, said that he was always thrilled to see handsome men and beautiful women wearing traditional wedding dresses made from brocade. Each detail of the brocade patterns was a highlight, creating a unique difference in every photograph.
Through casual conversation, I learned about K' Duẩn, a renowned maker of traditional brocade wedding dresses and suits in this area. According to K' Duẩn, the locality has a large ethnic minority population, so the demand for wedding dresses is increasing. Those with the means will have them custom-made as keepsakes, while other couples may rent them for photoshoots or wedding ceremonies.
K'Duẩn shared: "Everyday brocade is already beautiful. Making it into magnificent wedding dresses makes it even more stunning. Besides creating traditional clothing for the K'ho and Ma ethnic groups, my colleagues and I also design wedding dresses from brocade of almost all Vietnamese ethnic groups. Through this, we contribute to preserving the beauty that our ancestors have cherished for generations and create a ripple effect among young people."
I received encouraging news when contacting the head of the traditional brocade weaving group in Loc Tan (Ward 2, Bao Loc). Currently, over 20 women in the group are learning design and tailoring skills so they can design for customers themselves. This is a new and creative way to create jobs for women in the modern era. Furthermore, it will create a complete process from weaving, cutting, sewing, and designing to the finished product. From their calloused hands at the loom, they will gradually become "fashion designers" in their villages, modernizing and preserving tradition.
According to those who specialize in making traditional brocade clothing, the price of each wedding dress ranges from 1.5 to 3 million VND, depending on the quality of the brocade and the details embellished on the dress. Modernized suits, on the other hand, cost from 500,000 to 1.5 million VND, depending on the quality of the fabric chosen by the customer.
In conversations with local cultural managers in areas like Di Linh and Ward 2 of Bao Loc, it was revealed that young people's quick adaptation to fashion trends and their ability to breathe life into traditional brocade weaving have contributed to the revival of this craft. They create jobs for themselves and other women in their villages during the off-season, contributing to the positive image of the local land and people.
Source: https://baolamdong.vn/fashion-designer-o-buon-lang-441289.html
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