Áo Dài Week 2021 opens
A series of cultural activities celebrating Áo Dai Week 2021 will be organised this weekend in HCM City to
THỦ ĐỨC CITY — A special exhibition featuring the ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) has opened at the Áo Dai Museum in Thủ Đuc City to celebrate International Museum Day (May 18).
It features a collection of 10 ao dai belonging to political, cultural and artistic stalwarts like Dr. Trịnh Thị Hoa, former director of the HCM City History Museum, and cultural researcher Le Tu Cẩm, who have worked to improve the country’s museums.
The women also encouraged young women in remote areas to study, develop careers and live more independently.
The museum’s director, Huỳnh Ngọc Van, said the exhibition promotes cultural activities to mark International Museum Day and the images of Vietnamese women through the ao dai.
The Áo Dai Museum, owned by veteran fashion designer Sĩ Hoang of HCM City, opened in 2014 to share the history of the traditional long dress with foreign visitors and future generations and increase their awareness of traditional fashion.
The museum displays many ao dai designs dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries and their subsequent evolution.
It displays ao dai owned by theatre icons such as People’s Artists Kim Cương and Bạch Tuyết, considered gurus of cải lương (reformed opera).
Others include garments owned by national heroine Nguyễn Thị Định, the first woman major general in the Vietnam People's Army, and former Vice State President Nguyễn Thị Bình.
Visitors can try making their own ao dai using paper, and souvenirs such as dolls in ao dai are available for sale.
The museum also has ao dai fashion shows and photo and painting exhibitions capturing Vietnamese culture and lifestyles.
The exhibition is open every day between 8am and 5pm until June 12.
The museum is at 206/19/30 Long Thuận Street.— VNS
