Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly promotes Vietnamese ao dai through diplomatic activities

Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly - Wife of General Secretary To Lam - attracts attention when wearing Ao Dai at important events at home and abroad.

When welcoming French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife at the Temple of Literature, Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly (left) wore a purple ao dai that matched the tie of General Secretary To Lam (second from left). Purple symbolizes luxury and power, combined with silk pants, handbag and pearl necklace to create a harmonious look - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

The design of the ao dai chosen by General Secretary To Lam's wife is a 1930s ao dai.

The designer behind these designs is Vu Viet Ha. He has many years of experience designing Ao Dai and traditional Vietnamese materials.

Vu Viet Ha said that designing costumes for the General Secretary's wife is both an honor and a responsibility.

The designer shared that Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly chose the 1930s ao dai with the desire to recreate history in the eyes of international friends, while honoring the ancient ao dai - Vietnam's cultural heritage in the context of integration and development, reminding the younger generations to preserve their roots.

Every time she appears at diplomatic activities, the ao dai that Madame Ngo Phuong Ly wears acts as a bridge, symbolizing identity and the spirit of integration.

“When designing an ao dai for the first lady, I carefully research the event the first lady attends, so that each design conveys the message and spirit of that activity, and most of all, creates a highlight every time it appears,” designer Vu Viet Ha shared.

At the 2025 Vietnam Cultural Festival held in Russia, Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly wore a light brown ao dai, inspired by flowers associated with each month of the year in the capital such as peach, lily, lotus, daisy. She combined it with a necklace carved with sunflowers - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

He added that every time he designs, he and Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly discuss carefully which colors are suitable, which patterns symbolize, and which materials tell the right story.

The combination of the designer's artistic thinking and the wearer's style creates the standard for diplomatic ao dai.

Vu Viet Ha chose a slightly straight shape with a high neck, evoking the elegance of old Hanoi. However, this shape is difficult to make, if not cut skillfully, it will not flatter the wearer's figure. However, when done precisely with every line, the straight shirt still exudes elegance.

Regarding materials, designer Vu Viet Ha chose fabrics made from natural Vietnamese fibers such as: lotus silk, pineapple silk, linen, and Northwest brocade.

Designer Vu Viet Ha believes that traditional materials are the soul of the ao dai, helping to tell the story of Vietnam's land and people in a genuine and intimate way.

The General Secretary's wife, during her visit to a Vietnamese language class in Russia, wore a blue ao dai combined with lacquer jewelry, showing the fusion between contemporary art and Vietnamese tradition - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

When welcoming the Singapore Prime Minister's wife at the Bamboo House in the Presidential Palace, Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly presented an ao dai and silk scarf to Mrs. Loo Tze Lui. The design used silk from Ha Dong craft village, with delicate lotus embroidery motifs by artisans from the traditional embroidery village of Quat Dong - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

Madame Ngo Phuong Ly and UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay attend the painting exhibition “We Can” at the Vietnam Women’s Museum. The General Secretary’s wife presents a green silk ao dai embroidered with flowers by Vu Viet Ha to Mrs. Azoulay - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly chose a red ao dai when attending the flower offering ceremony in memory of President Ho Chi Minh in Moscow, Russia - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

Ao dai today has become a symbol of cultural diplomacy, going beyond the limits of traditional costumes - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

Ao dai is a simple outfit that has accompanied the history of the Vietnamese people - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

HOAI PHUONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/phu-nhan-ngo-phuong-ly-quang-ba-ao-dai-viet-qua-cac-hoat-dong-ngoai-giao-20251020131621167.htm