Southern folk cakes on the catwalk

Nguyễn Minh Công - Ảnh 1. — Designer Nguyen Minh Cong turns traditional cakes into high-end dresses - Photo: KIENG CAN TEAM

Marking his 10-year journey pursuing fashion , designer Nguyen Minh Cong organized a cultural, artistic and fashion exhibition called Miet Cu Lao , at the Southern Women's Museum, Ho Chi Minh City.

The exhibition is a tribute from Nguyen Minh Cong to his hometown Ben Tre (now Vinh Long), the land that nurtured his artistic soul and shaped his distinctive fashion design style.

Recreating traditional cakes through fashion

In 2021, Nguyen Minh Cong created unique designs inspired by traditional Southern cakes such as: cassava cakes, pig skin cakes, pancakes, jackfruit leaves cakes, water fern cakes, sweet wet cakes...

Creative dresses from cakes create unique shapes and diverse colors because of the attraction of food.

This collection set a Vietnamese record in 2021 as a mini fashion collection made from materials from Southern Vietnamese folk dishes.

Celebrating 10 years of his career, designer Nguyen Minh Cong decided to turn 20 designs from traditional food materials into evening gowns imbued with Vietnamese identity.

Designer Nguyen Minh Cong shared: “The idea of recreating the folk culture of the Southwest region through the language of fashion has been cherished by me for many years. Through each design, I want to bring into it memories and the soul of the countryside.”

Transforming cakes, markets… into fashion language is not easy, requiring meticulousness, creativity and patience.

He and his colleagues had to experiment with dozens of different materials to find fabrics that could evoke the feeling of sticky rice flour, crispy cake crust or color while still maintaining the necessary elegance.

To complete a design, he edits it dozens of times, to ensure that the rustic, familiar spirit of the cakes is maintained.

Nguyễn Minh Công - Ảnh 2. — Miss Nguyen Ngoc Kieu Duy wore a design inspired by "banh lot" with the main color tones of white and light blue. The details were meticulously and delicately done with each strand of cake being elaborately attached - Photo: KIENG CAN TEAM

A miniature slice of the West

The Miet Cu Lao exhibition space displays 20 designs inspired by traditional cakes combined with images of villages, roofs, wharves, Tet markets, etc., bringing a multi-sensory experience to viewers.

In addition, Nguyen Minh Cong also recreated a cozy, rustic kitchen corner where visitors can enjoy traditional cakes and drink tea.

The exhibition Miet is taking place from October 15 to November 15 at the Southern Women's Museum, open to the public free of charge.