'Slow' fashion

Overcoming difficulties twice

At the beginning of 2025, the fashion industry continued to witness many Vietnamese brands closing stores and ceasing operations. However, White Ant, a brand from Hanoi, surprised everyone by expanding southward and opening its first store in Ho Chi Minh City. Prior to this, White Ant had a fashion show at Celebrating Local Pride 8 and made its mark with a sustainable fashion journey "from the mountains to the sea," featuring collections photographed at the Quy Nhon wind farm, Mooc Stream (Quang Binh), Con Dao (Ba Ria-Vung Tau), Go Lao Waterfall ( Hoa Binh ), and more.

White Ant's sustainable, elegant, and minimalist fashion at Celebrating Local Pride 8

The 16 retail stores in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Nghe An, and Ho Chi Minh City may seem modest compared to White Ant's 19-year journey of continuous development (since 2006). However, founder and CEO Bach Cao Cuong believes that slow growth is a long-term strategy and a key criterion White Ant aims for in its pursuit of sustainable fashion. Cuong stated: "Slow and steady wins the race; with perseverance, we will eventually reach our goal, so there's no need to rush. As someone passionate about mountain climbing, I've applied the philosophy of this sport to the fashion industry."

Over more than three decades working in the garment industry, Mr. Cuong has twice led the brand through difficult times. After the economic crisis (2008-2009), the brand found a team of highly skilled garment workers to build its "Ant Nest"; after the Covid-19 pandemic (2020-2021), the brand successfully explored the potential of online sales channels, providing stable income for employees and preventing setbacks.

Restructuring to optimize operations and constantly adapting to the fashion market and new consumer trends are the "keys" that enabled the F2 - Fashion and Freedom brand to overcome challenges such as the two years of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr. Pham Ngoc Tay, Director and founder of the F2 brand, said, "Necessity is the mother of invention." While everyone was confined to their homes, F2 pioneered a home try-on program. Customers selected their favorite designs, and they were shipped to their homes for fitting. Customers only paid for the items they liked, returning the rest to the store. After a month of implementation, the program recorded a 92-95% successful order rate, maintaining stable revenue during the pandemic.

Singer Doan Trang wore a design created in collaboration with F2 fashion.

F2 was established in 2014 and currently has 11 stores in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Nha Trang, and Hanoi (before the pandemic, it had 27 stores). During the pandemic, the owner had to drastically streamline locations that were no longer suitable to reduce costs and operate more efficiently.

Sustainable fashion is the way forward.

Pham Ngoc Tay's journey from a youth-oriented brand to a sustainable fashion brand stemmed from his exhaustion of constantly chasing trends and fads in fast fashion. Targeting middle-aged men and women, and mothers who appreciate a fresh, office-appropriate style, F2 chooses environmentally friendly materials such as linen, silk, and cotton for its main product lines: shirts, trousers, skirts, and suits. The garments are easy to mix and match, breathable, flattering, stylish, and durable. Furthermore, expanding into the international market is a key objective in the brand's sustainable development strategy.

Customers choose White Ant clothing at the store in Ho Chi Minh City, which opened in January 2025.

White Ant has shifted its focus to developing limited-edition, high-quality products. Sustainability standards are implemented transparently and consistently across all areas. White Ant's designs use only naturally sourced materials. Clothing typically features the natural colors of the fabric, such as white or black (as no chemicals or dyes are used); buttons are made from seashells; and flowers, accessories, and decorative motifs are made from fabric scraps. Each product bears the mark of handcrafted detail, meticulously crafted, and suitable for multiple seasons, with versatile styling options.

According to Bach Cao Cuong, Vietnamese fashion will still face many challenges in 2025. Therefore, if export channels can be developed, brands will experience good growth, while selling only domestically will make it very difficult to survive.

According to Mr. Pham Ngoc Tay, after the recent period of elimination, brands that have a thorough understanding of their strengths and weaknesses to reform their operations, and fashion professionals who invest more and are more creative, creating value that customers need, will survive and thrive when the market recovers.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thoi-trang-cham-185250217231806366.htm