Fashion show revives Vietnamese court attires in 15th century

A ceremony to announce the ‘Queen Mother’ title under Early Le period reenacted at the event

The show was launched by Vietnam Center, an initiative of three Vietnamese expats in Australia, including Le Ngoc Linh, Nguyen Anh Vu, and Dong Vu who share a passion for Vietnamese ancient culture and an aspiration to promote the country’s cultural treasure to the world.

The outfits introduced the audiences were remade based on historical records and researches with reference to ‘Ngan Nam Ao Mu’ (A Thousand Years of Caps and Robes), a book by Han Nom scholar Tran Quang Duc, as well as historical objects founded in local museums, Buddhist temples, and shrines.

Spectators to the event were also invited to engage in thought-provoking discussion on Vietnamese national brand, featuring talks of veteran diplomat Ton Nu Thi Ninh, researcher Tran Quang Duc, singer Nguyen Tien Viet, comic painter Nguyen Khanh Duong, and the film director Nguyen Hoang Diep.

In addition to discuss on the definition and scope of Vietnamese national brand, the participants also discovered the role of Vietnamese youth in promoting the country’s image and how they can to do to promote Vietnamese culture to international friends.

The highlight of the event was a reenactment of a ceremony to announce the ‘Queen Mother’ title under Early Le period. The ceremony was reenacted based on writings of scholar Phan Huy Chu in ‘Lich Trieu Hien Chuong Loai Chi’ (Categorized Records of the Institutions of Successive Dynasties), Vietnamese first encyclopedia was written in old Chinese script.