The "Hanoi Fashion Journey 2024" show and "Rock: Hanoi, Home Coming" concert takes place on the evening of November 11 at August Revolution Square - Hanoi Opera House.

These events are part of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2024, which is underway across numerous locations in Hanoi.

Inspired by the capital's dynamic transformation, renewal and youthful vitality, the Hanoi Fashion Journey 2024 told the story of Hanoi through the centuries and was the creative highlight of this year's festival.

The exhibition brought together unique designs by students from the University of Industrial Fine Arts, the Hanoi Industrial Textile and Garment University, the Hanoi Open University, Hoa Binh University and Duy Tan University (Danang). The event was divided into three chapters representing different time periods: “Old Hanoi”, “Integrating Hanoi”, and “Future Symbols of Hanoi”.

While “Old Hanoi” opened with ancient beauty, with works that recreate ethnic cultural elements, traditional stories and architecture, “Integrating Hanoi” reflected the East-West fusion in modern Hanoi. The collections combined traditional sewing techniques with contemporary technology to create designs that are both globally inspired and distinctly Vietnamese.

Meanwhile, the “Future Symbols of Hanoi” chapter presented a groundbreaking vision of the capital's future. Combining advanced technology and smart materials with cultural heritage, it embodied a sustainable and creative Hanoi.

The fashion collections represented an intersection between distinctive traditional artistic elements such as water wave patterns, peace vases, folk songs, four sacred animals, Hang Trong folk paintings and the boundary-pushing creativity of modern fashion.

"Hanoi Fashion Journey 2024" provided a valuable platform for students passionate about fashion, and helped raise awareness of applied arts in the community. It also served as a statement of Hanoi's powerful transformation, where tradition and modernity blend to create the capital's unique character in the contemporary world.

The rock storm

Shortly after the spectacular fashion show, the atmosphere in August Revolution Square continued to heat up with the "Rock: Hanoi, Home Coming" concert that featured young faces alongside veterans of the capital's rock scene. Ly Buc, the opening act, kicked things off with a cover of Nirvana's legendary “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.

While focusing on modern metal, Ly Buc skillfully incorporated fresh elements of pop and indie music to make their sound more accessible to mainstream audiences. Both of their debut albums, with signature songs such as "Vang" (Absence), "Hoa" (Paint), "Cat Bui" (Dust), performed at "Rock: Hanoi, Home Coming", received enthusiastic support from young audiences.  

Blue Whales was the next "rookie" to take the stage at August Revolution Square. Although most of the members were born between 2000 and 2006, this 'Gen Z' band impressed the crowd with their skillful performance of 'heavy' music. 

The duo of Gia Nhu and Minh Quan could be described as the "soul" of Blue Whales. Their vocal interplay created a unique character for songs like "Lac Loi" (Lost), "Roi" (Leave), "Khi Sen No Hoa" (When Lotus Blooms) and other original compositions. In particular, Gia Nhu demonstrated her versatile musical skills with a solo performance on the two-stringed violin.

The first "shot" from the veteran bands came from Thuy Trieu Do (Red Tide). The Vietnamese rock legend was no stranger to the Hanoi Creative Design Festival, having performed at last year's event.   

Despite their recent reunion, Thuy Trieu Do's name remained vivid in the minds of local rock fans. Songs that built the band's reputation, such as “Nguoi Hat Rong” (The Wandering Singer), “Thoi Gian” (Time), “Anh Sang Nui Rung” (Light of Mountain and Forest) and “Tan The Gioi” (New World) – their latest composition – transported audiences back to the golden age of Vietnamese rock in the early 2000s.

Ngu Cung's performance could be considered the trump card of the evening. Living up to their status as one of Vietnam's top bands, the creators of “Cuop Vo” (Bride Kidnapping), “Gio Bac” (North Wind), “Tuyet Trang va Do Quyen Do” (White Snow and Red Rhododendron) and countless hits on the Vietnamese rock map nearly brought down the stage with their first notes.

The combination of young bloods like vocalist Hong Phi, guitarist and bassist brothers Hoang Bac and Hoang Bach with veterans like leader/lead guitarist Tran Thang and drummer Tran Duc breathed new life into Ngu Cung. The band radiated endless energy, which was transmitted to the surrounding audience, creating explosive performances.

Purple Blues, another familiar face at the Hanoi Creative Design Festival, closed the “Rock: Hanoi, Home Coming” concert. The veteran rockers' performance of covers of romantic classics by ABBA and The Beatles helped revive the audience after their intense moments with Ngu Cung and the previous bands.

Nevertheless, Purple Blues still knew how to deliver explosive moments as the concert drew to a close, including a cover of Linkin Park's classic “In The End” featuring Thuy Trieu Do's Vietnamese vocalist James.

The 2024 Hanoi Creative Design Festival, themed "Creative Crossroads," runs from November 9-17 along Ly Thai To - Le Thanh Tong streets intersecting with Bac Co - Trang Tien slope (Hoan Kiem District).

During this time, residents and tourists can enjoy exhibitions and street art performances by over 500 units, creators, architects, artisans, especially many young artists in the design field.

The festival features more than 110 creative activities in 12 cultural industries, notably architecture, design, visual arts, performance, cinema, advertising and crafts, aiming to ignite the creative spirit of Hanoi's residents.

"Hanoi Fashion Journey 2024" provides a valuable platform for students passionate about fashion and helps raise awareness of applied arts in the community. It also served as a statement of Hanoi's powerful transformation, where tradition and modernity blend to create the capital's unique character in the contemporary world. Photo: Viet Anh