Controversy over Miss Grand Vietnam contestants performing 'altar' costume designs, what did the organizers say?

The design of the national cultural costume 'Ancestral Incense', inspired by the custom of ancestor worship, performed on the Miss Grand Vietnam 2025 stage, attracted both public attention and controversy.

Many audiences were "shocked" when they saw the contestant bring the altar onto the stage.

Photo: Organizing Committee

On the evening of September 11, the National Costume competition - National cultural costume within the framework of Miss Grand Vietnam 2025 was held in Ho Chi Minh City. The competition gathered beauty queens, runners-up and 35 contestants performing designs from 4 teams of designers Nguyen Viet Hung, Vu Viet Ha, Dang Trong Minh Chau and Ivan Tran. Right before the show, heavy rain suddenly poured down, causing the program to be postponed and take place later than scheduled. When the competition night took place, it continued to rain. However, the contestants still kept good spirits to complete the performance.

During the competition night, many unique designs inspired by fairy tales, traditional craft villages, folk games, dishes... received praise from the audience. However, there were also many costumes that received mixed opinions from viewers and the online community. Among them, the costume design named Incense of ancestors by author Tran Cong Hau must be mentioned. On stage, the Miss Grand Vietnam 2025 contestant performed an outfit that combined familiar images such as altar photos, incense bowls, and food trays to create highlights.

According to the author, the costume was inspired by the Vietnamese people's custom of ancestor worship. The design is also a deep gratitude and respect for the roots, the previous generation silently follows and is a support for their descendants, showing connection and love.

Ancestral Incense Design performed by contestant Nguyen Thi Cam Hang in the National Cultural Costume competition night

Photo: Organizing Committee

The clip of the contestant performing this costume has created a wave of controversy among netizens. Many viewers expressed surprise at this unique creative idea. However, many people also think that this design is not suitable to be worn on the beauty pageant stage.

Some accounts left comments: "Why bring ancestors and altars onto the stage to perform?", "Not everything can be used as inspiration at will", "The tradition of ancestor worship needs to be solemn and in its proper place", "There are plenty of other ideas, why does it have to be an ancestral altar", "What the hell is this about bringing the whole altar onto the beauty pageant stage?", " I was shocked when I saw the image of the altar, the contestant holding incense and facing the audience, bowing", "I don't understand why the organizers approved it...".

What did the Miss Grand Vietnam organizers say?

In response to the audience's controversy, the head of the Miss Grand Vietnam 2025 organizing committee responded. Accordingly, the organizing committee said that if the audience watched the entire performance combined with music , setting, props and commentary, they would feel the sacredness and warmth of the Vietnamese people's customs and beliefs in ancestor worship.

The organizers said they consulted with historians and cultural experts in the performance.

Photo: Screenshot

"It is very welcome that young designers want to introduce this good thing to the audience through national cultural costumes. When young people turn to their roots and think of good customs and practices that have been passed down for generations, we should encourage and support them rather than feel that they should not. Because creativity has no limits. The performance of the contestants on stage is not offensive at all. The contestants appear in very solemn ao dai, prepare offerings to place on the family altar, and burn incense to show their gratitude to their ancestors. I see that the performance through language on stage is partly a reflection of what has been and is happening in the real life of Vietnamese people. This is a bold choice, but we have the advice of historians and cultural experts in the advisory board and judges," the head of the contest's organizing committee responded.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tranh-cai-thi-sinh-miss-grand-vietnam-dien-thiet-ke-trang-phuc-ban-tho-btc-noi-gi-185250912160500923.htm