Designer Trung Dinh wants the world to recognize the ao dai as Vietnamese.

13 years pursuing fashion, artisan - designer Trung Dinh has remained loyal to traditional ao dai designs, so that the world knows, recognizes and acknowledges that ao dai belongs to Vietnam.

Designer Trung Dinh shares about his collection of ao dai in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: TTD

Within the framework of the Ho Chi Minh City Literature and Arts Days , audiences and ao dai lovers had the opportunity to meet and interact with artist - designer Trung Dinh, at the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural House.

Durable with traditional ao dai

The sharing session revolved around the theme of Silk singing on the road of a thousand miles and the 13-year journey of designer Trung Dinh persistently pursuing traditional ao dai design.

Trung Dinh told Tuoi Tre Online that at first he was still uncertain about the decision to give up his stable job and switch to designing ao dai, and his family and friends did not support him. Today, he feels that decision was right, and he thanks himself for the journey he has gone through.

As a designer, they will create many shapes but Trung Dinh stays loyal to the traditional ao dai design.

“I don’t design ao dai for Vietnam because everyone in our country knows about ao dai. Trung wants the world to understand ao dai and recognize it as Vietnamese.

If the world wants to recognize it, they must know and be able to recognize the ao dai. This is also the reason why I am loyal to the traditional ao dai, not because I lack creativity" - designer Trung Dinh confided.

Designs in the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai collection in my heart - Photo: TTD

Therefore, Trung Dinh often participates in Ao Dai shows at trade promotion events, promoting Ho Chi Minh City tourism abroad and the international beauty contest Miss Cosmo to make Ao Dai known to many people.

Using ombre silk dyeing techniques (dyeing and manually changing colors to create new materials) combined with realistic painting on silk, Trung Dinh creates unique designs, promoting Vietnam's famous landscapes through traditional costumes.

In this way, Trung Dinh also draws famous landmarks of countries and territories around the world on ao dai, for international beauties to perform, helping people around the world access ao dai as quickly as possible.

Designer Trung Dinh shares about his journey pursuing his passion for designing ao dai - Photo: TTD

Trung Dinh wishes to bring Vietnamese silk around the world.

Trung Dinh has been doing the story of "knowing the loss but still doing it" because when he makes hundreds of Ao Dai with paintings of famous places, no one will buy them, but Trung Dinh still does it with the hope that the world will know about Ao Dai as much as possible.

However, he still supports the modernized ao dai on the condition that the design must be of sufficient quality, retain the unique cultural features of the ao dai, and be close to world fashion .

For Trung Dinh, a charming ao dai must ensure a harmony of elements: tradition, art, and contemporary. He always prioritizes traditional beauty first.

Ms. Dong Phuong (right) and her colleagues realistically painted lotus flowers on silk under the guidance of designer Trung Dinh - Photo: TTD

Many designers always keep their secrets to themselves, but Trung Dinh does not hesitate to teach his students everything wholeheartedly, because he always thinks about the common story of the more designers the better, as a basis for making a profile to request recognition of the ao dai as a national costume.

Trung Dinh does not intend to do business recklessly, but only with "commerce" can he have the costs to feed his passion.

He also worries that as technology develops, the designs of the ao dai will be copied more and more sophisticatedly. However, no matter how sophisticated the printed ao dai is, it will never be as good as the one made by hand from dyeing to painting. The difference of the handmade ao dai is expressed through the thoughts and feelings of the person making it.

Some people say that drawing too many famous landscapes of Vietnam and the world will "freeze" creativity. Trung Dinh explains that these are designs in the collection Non nuoc Viet Nam under the long-term project Silk singing on the shoulder . However, he also draws many other motifs.

Trung Dinh said a good designer must know how to create trends and lead fashion trends. His biggest wish is to be able to export Vietnamese silk all over the world.

Many people enjoy watching the ombre silk dyeing technique - Photo: BTC

Miss Ngoc Chau with Trung Dinh's design of the City Theater - Photo: Organizing Committee

A corner displaying Ao Dai designs created using ombre silk dyeing techniques and realistic painting on silk - Photo: Organizing Committee

HOAI PHUONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nha-thiet-ke-trung-dinh-muon-the-gioi-cong-nhan-ao-dai-la-cua-viet-nam-20251022060631312.htm