Kevin Lee- Week 9 Blog Post

            As we continue to talk about Vietnam and its national aesthetic, we learn that the ao dai plays a huge role in Vietnam’s national aesthetic. The aoi dai is a Vietnamese traditional wear that portrays the culture of Vietnam. In Robin Treen and Kieu Linh Caroline Valverde’s aoi dai catalog, “Ao Dai: A Modern Design Coming of Age,” Treen and Professor Valverde talk about the history of the ao dai and how it was revived and became well-known in the world market. Vietnam has benefited from the ao dai because many modern designers have taken the design of the ao dai and remade the traditional clothing into an aesthetic object that is sold around the world. The ao dai has also made an appearance globally in fashion shows, as well as the Paris runway. Vietnam was able to expand its textile industry and fashion industry due to the increase of popularity and demand of the ao dai. Nowadays, the ao dai is worn in all occasions: some schools use ao dai as their school uniform. The catalog mentions that the ao dai is the essence of Vietnamese culture, and much like Vietnam itself, a fusion of cultures. Even though designers remade the ao dai to fit theirs and the consumers’ tastes, the truth that the ao dai shows and retains the tradition, culture, femininity, and national identity of Vietnam still remains. The ao dai is the embodiment of the past, present, and future Vietnam.

Question: Since the ao dai, like Vietnam, is a fusion of cultures, has there been any conflict with other countries about the design of the modern day ao dai?

Do modern designers try to incorporate the traditional values of the ao dai into their design, or do they completely ignore the values when they remake it?

Work Cited:

Valverde, Kieu Linh Caroline, and Treen, Robin. Áo Dài: A Modern Design Coming of Age. San José, CA: San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, 2006. Print.

http://www.ticvietnam.vn/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/aodai1.jpg