VIETNAM’S FASHION IDENTITY

VIETNAM’S FASHION IDENTITY

VU CHI CONG,HEAD OF THE FASHION DEOARTMENT IN THE HANHOI INDUSTRIAL ARTS COLLEGE,SHARES HIS VIEWS ON THE EVOLUTION OF VIETNAMESE FASHION.
THE CULTURAL FEATURES OF A NATION ARE REVREALED THROUGH ITS FOOD,ARCHITECTURE AND FASHION.TO DAY,RAPID URBANIZATION AND GLOBALIZATION ARE ERASTING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES.AROUND THE WORLD PEOPLE LIVE IN SIMILAR BUILDING,EAT IDENTICAL FAST FOOD,PERFORM THE SAME JOBS AND WEAR THE SAME STYLES OF CLOTHES.
FASHION IS ONE WAY IN WHICH EACH GENERATION DIFFERENTIATES ITSELF FROM THE ONE BEFORE.THIS PROCESS OF RENEWAL IS NOW UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE GLOBAL FASHION INDUSTRY.EVEN THE "AO DAI",VIETNAM’S TRADITIONAL DRESS,IS BEING CHANGED IN WAYS THAT REDUCE ITS FORMER ELEGANCE.
STYLES SPECIFIC TO ONE CULTURE ARE ADOPTED,CHANGED AND MIXED.NATIONAL FEATURES ARE BLIRRED TO THE POINT THAT IT’S HARD TO SAY WHERE AN INSPIRATION TOOK ROOT.
VIETNAM’SFASHION INDUSTRY REMAINS UNDEVELOPED.HERE,FASHION HAS GROWN FROM THE PRODUCTS LIKE SILK AND EMBROIDERED BROCADE.WILL THESE TRANDITIONAL PRODUCTS BECOME DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF VIETNAMESE FASHION?
ETHNIC MINORITY PEOPLE WEAVE FABRIC FROM COOTON AND HEMP AND EMBROIDER OR BATIK IT WITH LIVELY SYMBOLS.INSPIRED BY NATURE,THE STYLIZED DESUGNS ARE LIMITED.COMMON BROCADE PATTERNS INCLUDE GROMETRIC DESIGNS LIKE SQUARES,CROSSES AND EIGHT- POINTED STARTS.
WHEN INCORPORATED INTO MODERM DESIGNS AS ACCENTS,THESE TRADITIONAL MOTIFS CAN BE VERY ATTRACTIVE.THE SKILL OF THE EMBROIDERY AND THE WRAM,NATURAL COLORS PRODUCE A LIVELY FEELING.
IN THE 1980s,VIETNAMESE FASHIONS WERE INFLUENCED BY THAI AND CHINESE STYLE.JEANS FROM THAILAND,PADDED CHINESE-STYLE COATS AND BROCADE BAGS APPEARED IN VIETNAM.TODAY,MOST VIETNAMESE PEOPLE BUY CLOTHES FROM LARGE FIRMS THAT PRODUCE INEXPENSIVE ITEMS FOR EXPORT.WEALTHIER PEOPLE GUY IMPORTED LABELS.CELEBRITIES LIKE SINGERS BUY ONE-OF-A-KIND CREATIONS BY LOCA DESIGNERS.
FASHION NOT ONLY REFLECTS THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE –IT ALSO REFLECTS OUR PAST.
by : HERIITARE