CATEGORIES

© Copyright 2004; Hanoitimes - Economic and Urban Newspaper;

The tribune of Hanoi People’s Committee

Publication Permit: 29/GP-CBC

Editor - in - Chief: Nguyen Thanh Loi

Managing Editor: Ta Thu Giang

Email : thugiang@hanoitimes.vn

Head Office: 21 Huynh Thuc Khang Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi

Branch Office: 221 Tran Phu Street, Ha Dong District, Hanoi

WORDS ON THE STREET 70th anniversary of Hanoi's Liberation Day Vietnam - Asia 2023 Smart City Summit Hanoi celebrates 15 years of administrative boundary adjustment 12th Vietnam-France decentrialized cooperation conference 31st Sea Games - Vietnam 2021 Covid-19 Pandemic
Home / Arts & Entertainment / Arts
Vietnamese traditional “Ao Dai” enchants Seoul audience
Tuyet Nhung - VNA 16:16, 2017/09/01
On August 30, the glamour of Vietnamese Ao dai (traditional long dress) was brought closer to our international friends through a stellar show jointly held by the Vietnamese Embassy in South Korea and the Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange (KOFICE).
Vietnamese "Ao dai" embroidered with national flowers of ASEAN member states at the show.
Vietnamese "Ao dai" embroidered with national flowers of ASEAN member states at the show.
The event is part of the art exhibitions and performances which are underway at the KOFICE’s headquarters to mark the 72nd anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day and the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Ao dai show featured 10 designs of the traditional dress by famous designer Si Hoang, which were embroidered with the national flowers of the ASEAN member states. According to Hoang, the cultural event will make significant contributions to promoting people-to-people exchanges and tightening the bilateral relations. Vietnamese culture was also highlighted through performances of dan bau (monochord), sao truc (bamboo flute) and dan T’rung (bamboo xylophone).
The Ao Dai is a Vietnamese traditional clothing, now most commonly worn by women but can also be worn by men. In its current form, it is a tight-fitting silk tunic worn over trousers.
The word “Ao Dai” was originally applied to the outfit worn at the court of the Nguyen Lords at Hue in the 18th century. This outfit evolved into the “áo ngũ thân”, a five-paneled aristocratic gown worn in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Inspired by Paris fashions, Nguyen Cat Tuong and other artists associated with Hanoi University redesigned the ngũ thân as a modern dress in the 1920s and 1930s.
The updated look was promoted by the artists and magazines of Tu Luc văn đoàn (Self-Reliant Literary Group) as a national costume for the modern era. In the 1950s, Saigon designers tightened the fit to produce the version worn by Vietnamese women today. The dress was extremely popular in South Vietnam in the 1960s and early 1970s. On Tet and other occasions, Vietnamese men may wear an áo gấm (brocade robe), a version of the ao dai made of thicker fabric.
Academic commentary on the ao dai emphasizes the way the dress ties feminine beauty to Vietnamese nationalism, especially in the form of “Miss Ao Dai” pageants, popular both among overseas Vietnamese and in Vietnam itself. “Ao Dai” is one of the few Vietnamese words that appear in English-language dictionaries.
Comments
Other news
15:33, 2025/02/24
Lacquer painting exhibition celebrates Hanoi artists
The painting exhibition is a tribute to three decades of paintings by the renowned Vietnamese couple of artists, Trinh Tuan and Cong Kim Hoa.
18:07, 2025/02/22
Vietnam heritage painting contest launched
The international painting contest "Brilliant Vietnam" seeks to celebrate Vietnam's rich traditions and values by spotlighting the country's intangible cultural heritage and involving both the expatriate Vietnamese community and the public from other countries.
15:35, 2025/02/20
Vietnamese lacquer: Traditional artistry meets modern innovation
Born in the early 20th century, Vietnamese lacquer art has evolved through time and artistic changes but remains a vital element of the country's fine arts today.
15:53, 2025/02/19
Indochina fine arts heritage in the heart of Hanoi
The artistic consciousness of Vietnamese artists was awakened by the Indochina School of Fine Arts in Hanoi, and Vietnamese fine arts evolved in tandem with modern nationalism to become more globally integrated.
20:50, 2025/02/18
Da Sy Blacksmith Village - a fascinating destination for traditional craft enthusiasts
Famous for its handcrafted knives and scissors, Da Sy Blacksmith Village in Hanoi offers visitors a unique glimpse into Vietnam's traditional metalsmith craft.
15:19, 2025/02/17
Three prominent Vietnamese painters spotlighted in Paris exhibition
For the first time, a special collection at the Musée Cernuschi in Paris pays tribute to Le Pho (1907-2001), Mai Trung Thu (1906-1980), and Vu Cao Dam (1908-2000) through works on display until May 4.