Strategic planning to nurture Vietnamese fashion brands.

How do you assess the development and shaping of Vietnamese fashion brands in the international market over the past period, from both the perspective of businesses and state management agencies?

Mr. Vu Duc Giang: Looking from the perspective of textile and garment businesses like Viet Tien, May 10, An Phuoc..., it must be affirmed that these businesses have established a position domestically. They have also established a position in the international market. For example, Viet Tien has a distribution system in Laos and recently celebrated 15 years of the Viet Tien brand in Laos and the ASEAN bloc...

Chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Garment Association, Vu Duc Giang

May 10 is selling its products on Amazon. Alongside it, Viet Tien , Nha Be, An Phuoc, and many other textile and garment businesses are also selling online in the same way. This is an approach taken by businesses to bring Vietnamese brands into the global market. However, regarding brand strategy, it's crucial to understand that a brand is no longer just a business's brand, but a nation's. The Vietnam Textile and Garment Association has repeatedly proposed that the government develop solutions for building several well-known brands that have a significant influence on the domestic market and can expand globally. In reality, we have primarily focused on the domestic market. The shaping of Vietnamese fashion brands in the international market has not received adequate attention from state management agencies. For example, the question of how these brands should target the European and American markets, or the ASEAN market, has never been addressed. According to him, what fundamental solutions are needed for Vietnamese fashion to build a nationally recognized brand with high recognition and the ability to establish itself in the international market? In my opinion, first, state management agencies must plan which products should be included in building national brands and spreading to the global market. Ministries and sectors managing the field must report to the Government to plan the selection of brands. For the textile and garment industry, the Ministry of Industry and Trade must do this. The Ministry of Industry and Trade must submit to the Government a specific plan to select which brands from which entities we will "nurture" and develop for the next 5, 10, 20, or even 50-100 years. When selecting specific brands, the state needs to plan for financial support and conditions to "nurture" the brands, while also setting specific goals. For example, outlining a five-year roadmap for brand development, including revenue targets; a ten-year roadmap, and target market segments... The Ministry of Industry and Trade should have regulations to develop these brands and enable them to penetrate the global market. You have repeatedly mentioned the desire to position Vietnamese fashion brands in the international market and create a "playing field" for fashion designers, which is very important. How can this be realized, sir? In my opinion, once a national-level fashion brand has been established, the government should promptly issue guidelines to create a "playing field" for fashion designers. There must be a "playing field" for them to showcase and introduce their designs to the global market.

Some fashion products from May 10 brands are posted on the company's website.

To build well-known brands like Zara, H&M, Adidas..., the government and local authorities, specifically Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, should establish centers for the development of the fashion industry and centers for creative ideas for Vietnam's fashion design industry. Currently, the global fashion industry has such centers. For example, the South Korean fashion industry, in Seoul and several other major cities, has centers for developing designs, creating a "playground" for designers. China, the US, France, Germany, Italy... are similar, all having design development centers. Vietnam has not yet focused on this aspect. The lack of self-sufficiency in raw materials and components is a significant weakness for Vietnam's textile and garment industry. According to you, how should this be overcome if we want to truly develop the fashion industry in the future? We must be self-sufficient in domestic raw materials and components before we can even talk about developing the fashion industry. We are currently making fashion using materials from others. For example, Vietnam's textile industry is not keeping up with global fashion trends, and we have to import materials for production.

Some fashion products from Viet Tien brands are posted on the company's website.

To build a brand, you need raw materials as the foundation; in other words, how can you build a brand without raw materials? To overcome this, a clear strategy is needed from the central government to the local level. The strategy for the development of Vietnam's textile, garment, and footwear industries until 2030, with a vision to 2035, issued by the Government at the end of 2022, mentions the development of raw materials and components, but it has not yet been implemented in practice. For the strategy to be successful, the Ministry of Industry and Trade must report to the Government, and the Government must intervene to formulate policies at the local level. Localities with textile and garment industrial zones should create conditions for their continued expansion, or clearly define the plan. For example, the Central region should have a textile and dyeing segment within its industrial zones; the South and North should follow a similar pattern. Furthermore, clear planning is needed, for instance, localities A, B, and C should facilitate the development of industrial zones. These zones must build wastewater treatment plants that meet wastewater treatment standards to attract investment in the textile and dyeing sector, which is currently lacking. Additionally, regarding the positioning of Vietnamese fashion brands in the international market, a necessary and sufficient condition is to plan a strategy connecting the yarn spinning industry, the textile and dyeing industry, and the garment industry; establishing standards for Vietnamese fashion brand planning. We must build standards and credibility for Vietnam. The State commits to complying with environmental laws, social responsibility policies, and green and sustainable development policies. A brand must be nurtured; it must adhere to and meet all standards so that consumers in Vietnam, and worldwide, will cherish and respect that brand. Thank you, sir!

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hoach-dinh-chien-luoc-nuoi-thuong-thoi-trang-viet-185240904210225838.htm