"The Princess" Minh Cong and Vietnamese Dong Ho paintings

"Nguyen Uoc Chon Thieng" honors heritage and cultural beliefs at Tam Chuc

 

Initiated and organized by young designer Thach Linh, on the evening of January 20th, the "Nguyen Uoc Chon Thieng" Fashion Show officially took place at the Tam Chuc Tourist Area in Ha Nam. With the purpose of honoring the beauty of ethnic cultures through the lens of fashion, each Ao Dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) and evening gown vividly displayed on the stage carries special messages and wishes from the young designers. The event quickly created a "fever" on various forums, attracting significant attention from professionals and fashion enthusiasts alike. Along with the presence of models, beauty queens, and renowned designers such as Miss Universe H'Hen Nie, Supermodel Vo Hoang Yen, Miss Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc, Miss International Le Nguyen Ngoc Hang, designer Nguyen Viet Hung, designer Thanh Thanh Nguyen, "The Princess" Nguyen Minh Cong presented a unique collection inspired by Dong Ho paintings called "Net Dan Gian."

 

"Net Dan Gian" collection - a diverse spectrum of inspired colors on the big stage 

Dong Ho paintings are known for their unique and delicate expression of traditional Vietnamese folk art. In 2012, this genre of painting was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, providing better conditions for promoting the dissemination and preservation of various folk paintings in the country. With the belief that fashion is closely linked to the historical development of a nation and has the responsibility to preserve and promote the national culture to advance it further, Nguyen Minh Cong creatively used his talent and fashion storytelling to bring the impressive beauty of Dong Ho paintings closer to the public. Combining traditional costumes such as Ao Dai, Ao Yem (a traditional Vietnamese bodice), and infusing modern designs like hoodies and blazers, Nguyen Minh Cong created the "Net Dan Gian" collection, rich in cultural elements yet fresh, contemporary, and showcasing his unique artistic imprint.

 

Images of talented beauty with "Net Dan Gian" stirred up the grand runway

 

Opening the "Net Dan Gian" collection was a scene reenacting the Dong Ho painting "Chan trau thoi sao" (Buffalo boy playing the flute) performed by child models An Cat Diep and Cat Tuong. With meticulously embroidered Ao Yem by An Cat Diep and a beige-toned Ao Dai by Cat Tuong, the two talented child models truly brought the poetic scenery of Vietnamese rural life to the "Nguyen Uoc Chon Thieng" stage. Throughout the Dong Ho painting story, Nguyen Minh Cong presented a series of designs, from Ao Dai, Ao Yem, to traditional five-part dresses, inspired by well-known paintings such as Carp, Yin Yang Pigs, the Fairy, etc. From soft, flowing designs made of organza and silk to modern designs like hoodies and blazers, the young designer cleverly combined these elements to create a new and unique "color palette" that is both traditional and timeless. Nguyen Minh Cong also incorporated handmade woven accessories and traditional Dong Ho lanterns into the collection. Integrating traditional materials into the costumes, this talented designer knew how to make his collection stand out by elegantly incorporating voluminous dresses into the "Net Dan Gian" collection.

 

Following the impressive opening, the "golden face" Minh Vy showcased a design based on the painting "Vinh Quy Bai To" (Showing your accomplishments to your ancestors), conveying a clear story about the importance of venerating the village's golden altar in folklore. Following that, the child model duo Bao Ha - Bao Chau had a delightful performance with a modern bomber jacket paired with a flowing skirt with 3D printing in the theme "Vinh Hoa Phu Quy" (Glory and Wealth). Their professional catwalk and graceful demeanor truly stirred up the atmosphere of this colorful stage. The performance of the "bride" Vo Hoang Yen with a design inspired by the painting "Dam Cuoi Chuot" (Wedding of the Mice) also concluded the story about Dong Ho folk paintings and the "Net Dan Gian" collection by Nguyen Minh Cong. In the elaborate design with a combination of a Western princess-style dress and a Vietnamese Ao Dai, Vo Hoang Yen shone brightly, completely conveying the image of ancient weddings on the grand runway.

Continuing the journey to preserve and promote culture through the lens of fashion

With the message of a young perspective on perceiving ethnic culture, Nguyen Minh Cong created the "Net Dan Gian" collection as a way to preserve the unique cultural values of the nation. The young designer shared: "I think I am heading in the right direction when using the language of young people to talk about ancient culture and using the influence of fashion to make these values last forever. 'The fresh strokes of Dong Ho paintings with chickens and pigs / Come with bright ethnic colors on delicate paper.' The wood engravings and colors from nature, although simple, have deeply engraved in the subconscious and are also the pride of the Vietnamese people. The representative paintings reproduced on the background of fashion materials are a way that I, we, and the youth together will preserve these sustainable artistic values and further develop them from a new perspective of the era." 

With the success of the "Net Dan Gian" collection in particular and the "Nguyen Uoc Chon Thieng" Fashion Show in general, the journey to preserve and promote the unique cultural values of Vietnam through the lens of fashion will continue to move forward and progress even faster in the future.

Photo: Kieng Can Team

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