Developing sustainable ao dai craft

For many designers, artisans, ao dai ambassadors, or ao dai tailors across the country, pride and love for ao dai are always present in every stroke, every fold of fabric, every needle and thread... connecting creativity with the preservation of the traditional values inherent in ao dai.

Preserving a part of the Vietnamese soul

Always appearing in public with a neat and graceful ao dai, Meritorious Artist Hai Phuong, Head of the Traditional Music Department, Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music, has a special love for ao dai.

“As an artist performing traditional musical instruments, I naturally choose the ao dai when I go on stage. The ao dai helps the public recognize Vietnamese artists, shaping Vietnamese culture and identity when going out into the world ” - Meritorious Artist Hai Phuong shared.

Designers, artisans, and Ao Dai ambassadors shared at the Seminar on Sustainable Ao Dai Craft Development at Ho Chi Minh City Book Street. Photo: Nhat Ha

Loving and attached to the ao dai, Meritorious Artist Hai Phuong believes that the ao dai is increasingly appearing in modern life, in many contexts, and for many ages. Designers have constantly researched and created the ao dai to not only be beautiful, to express the true identity, but also to bring comfort to the wearer - which is very necessary for the ao dai to truly exist in today's life.

“The hardest thing about the ao dai profession is to love and understand in order to breathe life into the ao dai, so that even if the context or perspective changes, the soul can still be seen and the ao dai can be recognized, not creating something else and calling it the ao dai.”
Artist NAM TUYEN

Artisan Nam Tuyen - who has more than 30 years of experience in restoring the five-panel ao dai, confided that he designs and sews ao dai first and foremost to show his deep gratitude to his ancestors who created a costume that has lasted until today. Then, making ao dai is also to look towards the future, so that young people can understand the value of ao dai and continue the traditional source, the values of the nation's unique cultural identity in modern life today. Artisan Nam Tuyen likens the ao dai to "the nation's cultural identity", that is, when wearing ao dai, the wearer himself is aware of his origin, and the designer must have a deep understanding of the nature and core values of the ao dai.

Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Association has been implementing training activities, workshops, showcases and cooperating with schools and design businesses to build a sustainable development ecosystem; exchanging and sharing about preserving the traditional values of Ao Dai, developing brands and markets in the contemporary flow, and training the next generation.
Designer ANNA HANH LE - Acting President of the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Association

Growing up in a rural area in the Central region, the first time wearing the ao dai was also the moment when designer Anna Hanh Le - acting President of the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Association - felt the femininity, softness and beauty when wearing the ao dai - the heritage of the nation. Designer Anna Hanh Le believes that each person wearing the ao dai will not only wear a costume but also preserve a part of the Vietnamese soul.

Foreign tourists experience wearing Ao Dai at Ho Chi Minh City Book Street.

The seminar on Sustainable Development of Ao Dai Craft is one of the events that concludes the series of activities within the framework of the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Cultural Festival, taking place from June 21 to October 20, 2025. The festival brings together hundreds of artisans, designers, businesses and Ao Dai ambassadors. The event includes many outstanding activities such as: Ao Dai Journey 2025 photo exhibition; Ao Dai - Breath of the City gift giving program, introducing Ao Dai designs in gratitude; giving the Skill - Future Livelihood Fund to women and single mothers in difficult circumstances to have the opportunity to learn Ao Dai sewing. In particular, the program also has a lookbook photo shoot for tourists.

Connect to develop sustainable Ao Dai profession

According to designer Anna Hanh Le, ao dai is a product that connects the hands of tailors, the hearts of artisans and the vision of designers. To build a Vietnamese ao dai brand that reaches the world, she emphasizes the vision of designers, which plays an important role in helping ao dai reach out and connect with international fashion . That is when ao dai combines traditional identity and international standards.

“Currently, world fashion is looking for authenticity and cultural depth in each design and the ao dai is a symbol of these two elements,” said designer Anna Hanh Le.

Tourists visit a photo exhibition at the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Culture Festival on October 19.

Admitting that the ao dai profession is not "silky" but a challenging journey, which is a series of days buried in the model room, requiring constant creativity, designer Anna Hanh Le said: to be able to survive and develop, spreading the value of ao dai in the context of international integration, those in the profession must be truly dedicated, not only needing skills and techniques but also promotional activities, communication...

Worried that many design students do not have the opportunity to work, even though the learning process is quite difficult and expensive, designer Anna Hanh Le wants to continue to connect and spread the value of the profession to young designers, students, and trainees to inspire not only skills but also professional thinking.

As for artisan Nam Tuyen, the most fundamental thing about the ao dai profession is to preserve the soul of the ao dai in every stitch, thread, and fabric fold left by the ancients, mixed with a contemporary breath to create style and define the designer.

“To do this, the craftsman must understand the core, nature, and cultural depth of the ao dai so that when making variations, there will be no deviation or confusion. When worn, the ao dai must express the dignity, elegance, grace, and especially the modesty of the Vietnamese people,” said artisan Nam Tuyen.

When passing on his craft to young designers, artisan Nam Tuyen does not focus on technical training, how to design, how to sew, but instead, he instills in the young generation pride in the ao dai, in traditional culture, specifically the culture of wearing. When loving the ao dai, young people will learn and know about the ao dai, will know how to create the ao dai and wear it beautifully. Believing that preserving the sustainable ao dai craft is a story of the whole society, he always reminds students that when receiving a piece of fabric, they must understand the process from the silkworm, cocoon, spinning silk, must perceive the culture, thereby breathing life into each design.

Nhat Ha

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202510/phat-trien-nghe-ao-dai-ben-vung-57f3ea8/