This strong resurgence has motivated many young people to choose to revive, start businesses with, and promote the five-panel ao dai to a wider audience, spreading love for traditional Vietnamese clothing.
The hallmark of the five-panel ao dai.
The five-panel ao dai (or five-panel dress) has had a long journey through the turbulent times of the 20th century. At one point, this dress was considered a symbol of outdated and backward fashion, so its popularity was gradually replaced by Westernized clothing.
However, as we entered the 21st century, and especially in the last few years, the five-panel ao dai is gradually making a comeback in contemporary life, along with a sense of pride in Vietnamese traditional attire.
Looking back, 2023 saw quite a few notable programs and events related to the five-panel ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress). Not to forget the National Assembly delegates from Binh Dinh and Bac Lieu who brought the image of the five-panel ao dai to the parliamentary chamber; or the officials of the Department of Culture and Sports of Thua Thien Hue province wearing ao dai in the workplace... Various seminars and fashion shows, both large and small, such as the 2023 Ao Dai Tourism Festival, the Vietnamese Traditional Clothing Day, and the Hundred Flowers Walking Tour, contributed to bringing this attire closer to more people.
Particularly, the appearance of the five-panel dress in Vietnamese music videos and films such as "Hong Ha Nu Si," "The Last Wife," "The Soul Eater," and "Tet in the Village of Hell"... shows that this traditional garment is increasingly gaining popularity and public attention.
In Hue – the birthplace of the five-panel ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) – efforts are being actively made to revive and integrate this traditional garment with contemporary life, striving to build Hue into the "Ao Dai Capital". In 2023, the Department of Culture and Sports of Thua Thien Hue province submitted a dossier to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism proposing that the tailoring craft and the custom of wearing the five-panel ao dai be included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage. In the future, the province aims to build a scientific dossier to propose that UNESCO recognize the tailoring craft and the custom of wearing the traditional Hue ao dai as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Speaking about the importance of the ao dai heritage, Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Thua Thien Hue province, stated: "In the current period, especially in the process of global integration, we need to clearly recognize that culture is an element for identifying a nation and its people, and clothing is the first and most easily recognizable form of identification."
Indeed, wearing traditional Vietnamese clothing not only preserves the value of traditional attire but also serves as a "means" of cultural diplomacy. Evidence of this is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' experiment of wearing the five-panel ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) to welcome international guests.
Vietnamese ambassadors in particular, and those in the Vietnamese diplomatic service in general, have been wearing the ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) more often at embassy activities abroad. Notable examples include Mr. Ngo Huong Nam - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Mr. Tran Ngoc An - former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to the United Kingdom...
In the context of integration with globalization and modernization trends, the strong resurgence of the five-panel ao dai in recent times is the result of tireless efforts and collaborative contributions from those who cherish the heritage of Vietnamese ao dai. This is not only due to the pioneering efforts of management units and researchers, but also the dedication of young people with passion and a willingness to think outside the box to revive and promote the beauty of the five-panel ao dai.
Vitality from excellence
Recently, thanks to the efforts of many organizations and individuals, especially young people who love tradition, terms such as "áo Tấc," "Nhật Bình," "Ngũ thân," "Giao Lĩnh," "áo viên lĩnh," and "Phượng bào triều Nguyễn" have become more widely known.
The ao dai is not simply a piece of clothing; it also embodies a rich history, cultural traditions, philosophical and aesthetic concepts, and the national consciousness and spirit of the Vietnamese people.
Regarding the five-panel ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress), according to Mr. Nguyen Duc Binh, Chairman of the Vietnamese Village Temple Club, the traditional value of the five-panel ao dai reflects humility, modesty, dignified demeanor, and refined aesthetics... It is this distinctive traditional material that has awakened in the hearts of those who love traditional culture the strength to revive ancient costumes, thereby creating momentum for creative entrepreneurship.
In fact, many young people have chosen to pursue careers in the traditional five-panel ao dai. One such example is Y Van Hien, a traditional clothing brand founded by Nguyen Duc Loc. Y Van Hien's activities focus on four goals: researching and restoring traditional costumes and rituals in the royal court and folk traditions; recreating the results of research and restoration through theatrical arts, film, literature, and performances; providing traditional cultural products to domestic and international markets; and offering cultural consulting services. With these four goals, Nguyen Duc Loc hopes to revive traditional culture and bring traditional clothing back into modern life.
Besides Y Van Hien, there are other organizations that also focus on researching, restoring, and bringing traditional Vietnamese clothing into contemporary life, such as the Vietnam Centre, Great Vietnam, Hoa Nien - Beautiful Years, etc.
Most of these units were founded by young people. However, not stopping at just reviving traditional costumes, these young people have also started businesses based on their cultural capital, building brands that provide consulting, tailoring, and rental services for Vietnamese ao dai and traditional costumes to promote and revitalize national attire.
Not only within Vietnam, the enduring appeal of the five-panel ao dai and other traditional costumes is being showcased to international friends by young people. As part of Vietnam Overseas Day at the end of December 2023, for the first time, traditional Vietnamese costumes were displayed at the "Golden Journey" exhibition in South Africa, France, and Japan.
According to fashion designer Nguyen Thi Nga, founder of Van Thien Y Joint Stock Company, the unit responsible for introducing Vietnamese traditional costumes at this event, this is an opportunity for young people like her to introduce and spread the values of Vietnamese art in highly practical outfits, with the desire to continue traditional cultural values through a modern perspective.
Looking back over nearly a century, the five-panel ao dai has undergone a journey, from familiar to strange, and then back to being commonplace again.
In the minds of many, the five-panel ao dai has gradually become a representative image of Vietnamese clothing culture. In the context of global integration, bringing traditional Vietnamese clothing back into contemporary life, giving it its own role and significance, will contribute to preserving national cultural identity, especially guiding the younger generation towards appreciating and honoring traditional beauty, contributing to the country's development, and affirming Vietnam's rich cultural identity on the international stage.
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