The mark of the Southwest region on the fashion catwalk

From the checkered scarf to the Ao Ba Ba, from traditional cakes to the water coconut leaf roofs typical of the Southwest region, all have become sources of inspiration for designers to create beautiful and highly practical outfits.

In the Miet isle culture, art and fashion exhibition held from October 15 to November 15 at the Southern Women's Museum (HCMC), designer Nguyen Minh Cong surprised everyone by introducing 20 complete outfits inspired by cakes and traditional dishes of the Southwest region.

Miss Luong Thuy Linh wears "Banh Xeo" costume by designer Nguyen Minh Cong

Photo: NVCC

Nguyen Minh Cong said that after the positive effect of the "banh xeo" costume model at the 2024 Southern Traditional Cake Festival , he had more motivation to realize the collection that set a Vietnamese Record in 2021. "The idea of ​​recreating Western folk culture in the language of haute couture fashion has been cherished by me for many years," the designer said.

As a son of the South, the designer always looks back to his roots and strives to promote his homeland's culture through his career. In the collection Ve nha Ut oi , weaving tools, water coconut leaf roofs, water lilies, conical hats... become motifs and details that mark the costumes but do not get carried away with realism. Instead, he shows his understanding and mastery of high-end fashion techniques and creativity by recreating familiar images in his own way. The Ao Ba Ba of Southern women is stylized into a flared princess dress; Ca Mau mats, Thap Muoi lotus, straw piles after harvest, blankets made from scraps of fabric... appear in new, modern and practical shapes. The designer had to experiment with dozens of materials to find a fabric surface that evokes the feeling of sticky rice flour, crispy cake crust or the yellow color of banh xeo while still maintaining luxury and a handmade feel. Besides traditional materials, he also uses non-fashion materials such as fermented coconut vinegar - when dried, it has the same color as some types of cakes, and uses dried banana stems and leaves to weave into decorative strings...

Designer Bao Bao's Ao Ba Ba on the catwalk

Photo: NVCC

Believing that the ao ba ba deserves to appear at red carpet and stage events, designer Bao Bao created models of shirts with sophisticated embellishments, shirts made from luxurious tweed fabric that bring a new perspective. Stylist Thinh Chocolate's ao dai khan ran created a buzz in many fashion competitions and received strong support from young people - Gen Z who love to wear traditional ao dai in a youthful, liberal and free way.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dau-an-mien-tay-nam-bo-tren-san-dien-thoi-trang-185251022210854478.htm