Spreading the beauty of the Ao Dai (Vietnamese traditional dress).

Ao Dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) takes to the streets during the 2025 Community Ao Dai Week. Photo: D. HOANG

Many tourists and residents of Hue , especially women who already enjoy showing off their beauty in the traditional ao dai dress, now have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the ao dai festival. "Not only does it accentuate femininity, but the ao dai also helps me feel more confident when participating in cultural activities, festivals, or important events, from family gatherings to work events," shared Ms. Nguyen Thu Suong, a resident of Hue.

For the people of Hue, the ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) is a familiar sight, while for tourists who choose to visit Hue during this time, it's something of a stroke of luck or coincidence. Besides posing for photos at famous landmarks, they also take advantage of the events within the ao dai week to immerse themselves in the cultural values of the nation.

Ms. Vu Thu ( from Da Nang ) shared that she loves visiting Hue to explore and take photos in her traditional ao dai dress. Therefore, she always carries several ao dai dresses in her backpack so she can change into them. “Everywhere is beautiful for taking photos, but Hue is the best. The scenery of this heritage site and its landmarks is not only poetic but also peaceful, so wearing an ao dai makes me feel very graceful and elegant,” Ms. Thu said.

The opening event of the community's Ao Dai week was an Ao Dai fashion show held inside An Dinh Palace, attended by numerous international guests. Many were amazed by the combination of values that create the brand of Hue: the Ao Dai, music , and heritage.

According to the organizers, the community ao dai week aims to honor the traditional beauty of the Vietnamese ao dai. Beyond that, the event also aims to promote tourism, showcase the image of Hue and its people to domestic and international friends. Furthermore, it seeks to connect the community through artistic activities, parades, seminars, exhibitions, sports, and education.

Mr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Hue City, believes that promoting the value of traditional costume heritage, focusing on the ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress), and building the brand "Hue - The Capital of Ao Dai in Vietnam" is actually a story of reviving a distinctive cultural heritage of Hue, bringing that heritage into contemporary life, and allowing it to shine as it once did. Furthermore, the shining of the "Capital of Ao Dai" is not only a cultural brand, but also contributes to the sustainable development of Hue, a land rich in heritage.

According to Mr. Hai, the industry is also promoting the development of heritage tourism models associated with the ao dai and other traditional Hue costumes. The effective combination of protecting and promoting the heritage value of the ao dai and other traditional Hue costumes with the development of tourism and services will be a significant advantage for the sustainable development of tourism in the ancient capital of Hue.

To achieve this, investment from the budget and social resources is needed, along with the implementation of programs and activities aimed at developing the brand of Hue's ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) and other types of royal and folk costumes, such as ao dai festivals at various festivals, businesses organizing ao dai shows, and Hue ao dai exhibitions... "By doing so, we will affirm that the ao dai and traditional costumes have become part of Hue's cultural life and a distinctive tourism product," Mr. Hai emphasized.

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