When fashion tells the story of heritage and traditional culture on the runway

Vietnam International Fashion Week S/S 2025 in the second night brought collections with the spirit of heritage and traditional culture from Malaysia to Vietnam with meaningful stories.

"Thoai mong" collection by designer Cao Minh Tien.

The second night of the Vietnam International Fashion Week Spring Summer 2025 took place last night, June 6, recreating on the runway the space of traditional colors imbued with Asian identity through a contemporary perspective, from Malaysia to Vietnam. Each collection not only depicts the spirit of cultural identity but also tells stories with meaningful messages.

Monochrome is not monotonous

Participating for the first time at Vietnam International Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025, Malaysian designer Kel Wen brought a breath of fresh air with a modern Southeast Asian flair in the collection “Puteh.” This fashion house impresses by cleverly integrating Malaysian cultural identity into each design.

Inspired by two fashion icons P.Ramlee and Saloma (two icons who shaped Malaysia's "Retro" fashion style) of the 1950s, "Puteh" is a fusion of Ramlee's signature men's vest and Saloma's feminine waist-hugging silhouette.

Kel Wen recreates “retro heritage” with a modern mindset, breaking cultural boundaries through the combination of materials typical of Malaysia’s multi-racial community, creating a whole that is both nostalgic and bold.

With a nostalgic mood and a monochrome color palette, “Puteh” chooses neutral tones such as white and black as the main theme. Throughout the collection, there is a unisex spirit and a subtle dialogue between hard and soft, between masculine and feminine, between classic and modern - creating a unique fashion statement, rich in aesthetics and cultural depth.

Two designs opened and closed the show.

The old melodies echoed throughout the show space, bringing a nostalgic atmosphere, reminiscent of the golden age of Malaysian music , while creating a quiet but attractive "fashion music".

With a distinctive shape, the designs for men in the collection are elegant and classic with oversized shapes, broad shoulders and straight-cut trousers. The outfits evoke the image of a mature, dignified Asian man but still exude a modern and innovative spirit.

In contrast, the women's designs exude elegance with elaborate silhouettes, accented with classic-inspired black velvet gloves and stylish black sunglasses – creating an interesting blend of tradition and contemporary.

Vedette Huynh Tu Anh closed the show in a highly iconic design: a wide skirt that flared proudly combined with a powerful oversize coat. Tu Anh contributed to fully expressing the spirit of dialogue between femininity and power, classic and modern - the consistent spirit that the Malaysian fashion house wanted to convey through this collection.

With “Puteh,” the designer not only tells a story about fashion, but also a story about love for heritage, for music, and for diversity that is at the core of Malaysian identity.

Mother Goddess worship on the runway

Designer Cao Minh Tien has written the love story of the Lien Anh Lien Chi in Quan Ho culture through the collection "Thoai Mong." With inspiration from traditional folk materials, Cao Minh Tien has woven a poetic Quan Ho love song - inspired by the lyrics "when in love, take off your shirt for each other, when you come home, your mother asks if the wind blew across the bridge...."

Opening with the fast-paced folk melody “Love each other, hate each other”, Cao Minh Tien led the audience into the world of “Thoai mong” with an impressive resonance between sound, light and cultural breath in each design.

Combining the past and the present, Cao Minh Tien also skillfully brings the traditional spirit into each piece of Ao yem, Ao tu than, Ao dai... and renews them with modern materials such as lace, mesh, cotton... to create an impressive combination - where fashion becomes a bridge between nostalgia and the breath of the times.

With “Thoai Mong,” Cao Minh Tien cleverly borrowed the language of fashion to tell a story in two separate parts. If the first part is red and black with a fast rhythm to tell the story of a budding love full of desire and intensity, the second part gently sublimates with wedding designs that are the perfect result of the love story.

In particular, in the show, Miss Bui Quynh Hoa brought a performance of Hau Dong with graceful steps and sharp demeanor. The beauty wore a meticulously designed headdress, embossed yếm dress, skirt and long dress, all of which evoked the belief in Mother Goddess worship - a meaningful cultural form in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people.

The multidimensional beauty of modern women

With “To Be Happy,” designer Thao Nguyen wants to spread the message “Individual identity creates style,” affirming an independent design style, steadfast in the philosophy of “not following temporary trends.” Through delicate and emotional creations, the collection conveys a message about the journey of maturity of modern women, where they learn to listen to themselves, shine with confidence and cherish their personal identity.

The show opened with an impressive performance in powerful black and white tones. The elaborate designs on mesh and velvet taffeta, combined with the “bling bling” lighting effect, created a dramatic visual space.



If black and white represent inner strength, the second part of the collection takes the audience to a gentle, feminine world through pastel designs in cool mint tones. These colors are like a layer of clear mist, depicting the desire for happiness and freedom of women. This is also the artistic mark that Thao Nguyen dedicates to her 10-year journey of bringing joy to the wearer - true to the spirit of the name "To Be Happy."

Miss H'Hen Niê closed the show with a figure-flattering pastel evening gown, combining a flowing chiffon layer and meticulously hand-embroidered floral details. With her graceful catwalk steps, H'Hen Niê was the embodiment that Thao Nguyen chose to express "To Be Happy" - a symbol of the intersection between sharp courage and gentle beauty, fully conveying the spirit of the collection.

By telling stories through materials, colors and emotions, Thao Nguyen has drawn a journey of happiness through fashion, where each design not only honors the figure but also evokes the inner values ​​and personality of each woman./.

Miss H'Hen Niê closed the show with a figure-flattering pastel evening gown design.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/khi-thoi-trang-ke-cau-chuyen-ve-di-san-van-hoa-truyen-thong-tren-san-runway-post1042965.vnp