Arriving in a strange town, in a strange country can be daunting for the most experienced of travelers. Here’s a list of airports, how far to town and how much a taxi will cost you:
Hanoi – 30km – 170,000vnd.
HCMC – 5km – 70,000vnd.
Danang – 3km – 30,000vnd. (180,000vnd to Hoi An)
Cam Ranh (Nha Trang) – 35km – 75/160,000vnd
Phu Bai (Hue) – 15km – 160,000vnd
Buon Ma Thuot – 12km – 80/100,000vnd
Prices are all approximate and will vary.
1US = 16,000vnd. Check out Xe.com for exchange rates!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Mandarin keeps it local – and luxurious
Old-world style and contemporary flair distinguish HCM City’s Mandarin Restaurant, a regular haunt of both international dignitaries and lovers of fine cuisine for more than a decade. Vo Le Hong unveils its mysterious charms.
It’s the dining hour at Mandarin, a 200-seat restaurant located in a beautiful villa on a peaceful street in the heart of HCM City.
In the reception area standing around a huge clay pot filled with hundreds of lotus flowers are diners waiting their turn for a seat in the packed restaurant. Nearby is an older man dressed in traditional Vietnamese clothing, practising the art of calligraphy.
Suddenly an operatic sound fills the air – students from the city’s Conservatory of Music are singing with instrumental accompaniment. Several of the guests are then led to the inner dining area as Schubert’s Serenade wafts through the restaurant’s three floors.
Befitting its name, the restaurant has attempted to recreate an imperial style on its three floors, and at its bar and two private rooms, which are all connected by a stylish circular staircase.
The distinctly are Vietnamese touches of silk and dark wood are visible throughout, including embroidered pictures depicting flowers and beautiful women.
‘What is the charm of the Mandarin? Like anything mysterious, a lot of things are hidden, only to be discovered later," said one foreigner who regularly dines at the restaurant.
The restaurant has hosted many VIPs, including US Secretary of State Condoleezaa Rice, former French President Francois Mitterand, the King and Queen of Sweden, and others.
Since opening in 1997, its award-winning chefs have carefully selected a menu with dishes from Ha Noi, Hue and HCM City.
Specialties include steamed rice in lotus leaf, which includes tiny cubes of shrimp, pork, lotus seeds and egg wrapped inside the leaves and petals of the lotus flower. The effect is a contrast in rusticity and royalty.
Other dishes include steamed duck with rice pancakes prepared at your table, grilled beef with coconut milk sauce, sauteed lobster "Emperor" style, and sauteed vegetables and rice in clay pot.
Crepes with candied ginger and hot tea often end one of the restaurant’s sumptuous meals. Set dinner menus cost US$55 each for a minimum of two persons.
The Mandarin belongs to the Oriental Stars Group, which runs and manages Vietnamese restaurants in Ha Noi and HCM City.
Pham Quang Minh, the founder of the group, said: "We are creating one of the most outstanding chains of authentic upscale Vietnamese dining in Indochina."
The current manager is Pierre Vo, who began his tourism and hospitality career in France.
Bich Huong, a physician and the restaurant’s owner, says she can now do what she loves. "I’m passionate about the restaurant and hunt for ideas to give meaningful names to each dish and create interesting arrangements." — VNS
It’s the dining hour at Mandarin, a 200-seat restaurant located in a beautiful villa on a peaceful street in the heart of HCM City.
In the reception area standing around a huge clay pot filled with hundreds of lotus flowers are diners waiting their turn for a seat in the packed restaurant. Nearby is an older man dressed in traditional Vietnamese clothing, practising the art of calligraphy.
Suddenly an operatic sound fills the air – students from the city’s Conservatory of Music are singing with instrumental accompaniment. Several of the guests are then led to the inner dining area as Schubert’s Serenade wafts through the restaurant’s three floors.
Befitting its name, the restaurant has attempted to recreate an imperial style on its three floors, and at its bar and two private rooms, which are all connected by a stylish circular staircase.
The distinctly are Vietnamese touches of silk and dark wood are visible throughout, including embroidered pictures depicting flowers and beautiful women.
‘What is the charm of the Mandarin? Like anything mysterious, a lot of things are hidden, only to be discovered later," said one foreigner who regularly dines at the restaurant.
The restaurant has hosted many VIPs, including US Secretary of State Condoleezaa Rice, former French President Francois Mitterand, the King and Queen of Sweden, and others.
Since opening in 1997, its award-winning chefs have carefully selected a menu with dishes from Ha Noi, Hue and HCM City.
Specialties include steamed rice in lotus leaf, which includes tiny cubes of shrimp, pork, lotus seeds and egg wrapped inside the leaves and petals of the lotus flower. The effect is a contrast in rusticity and royalty.
Other dishes include steamed duck with rice pancakes prepared at your table, grilled beef with coconut milk sauce, sauteed lobster "Emperor" style, and sauteed vegetables and rice in clay pot.
Crepes with candied ginger and hot tea often end one of the restaurant’s sumptuous meals. Set dinner menus cost US$55 each for a minimum of two persons.
The Mandarin belongs to the Oriental Stars Group, which runs and manages Vietnamese restaurants in Ha Noi and HCM City.
Pham Quang Minh, the founder of the group, said: "We are creating one of the most outstanding chains of authentic upscale Vietnamese dining in Indochina."
The current manager is Pierre Vo, who began his tourism and hospitality career in France.
Bich Huong, a physician and the restaurant’s owner, says she can now do what she loves. "I’m passionate about the restaurant and hunt for ideas to give meaningful names to each dish and create interesting arrangements." — VNS
Climbing the ‘roof of Indochina’
Increasing numbers of travellers, foreign and domestic, are seeking to conquer Mt Fansipan, the highest peak in Viet Nam, popularly known as the “Roof of Indochina”.
“Climbing Fansipan is the most appealing and adventurous tourist attraction in Viet Nam because you can really enjoy nature there,” said Le Hong Quang from Ha Noi, who has climbed the mountain several times.
“You can admire the beautiful mountains with forests and flowers all around and get a chance to challenge yourself physically by climbing the heights. It’s a really powerful experience,” Quang said.
In the first half of April alone, the 3,143m-tall mountain in the northwest of the country near Sa Pa welcomed over 250 climbers, 70 per cent of the total to have visited so far this year.
In 2007, about 2,200 visitors came to the mountain.
Quang, whose latest climb of Fansipan took place in February during the coldest weather in a decade, said it took about two months to prepare for the trip.
“To make the trip successful, apart from strong determination and a good backpack, climbers must also check their stamina. This means they should practise by climbing other, smaller mountains such as Ba Vi or Tam Dao,” Quang said.
Vietnamese climbers often choose long holidays to take the trip to Fansipan, especially the period from Tet to the end of May, which includes the big national holidays of Liberation Day (April 30) and Labour Day (May 1).
Experienced climbers say it takes about two or three days to reach the peak following the shortest route. They pay attention the safest way and try to pick the time with the best weather and lowest rainfall, typically between February and April when flowers bloom and hikers have a chance to see the beauty of the Sa Pa region.
Those who start from Ha Noi can take a train to Lao Cai Province then reach Sa Pa by motorbike.
There are three routes to the mountain. One is from Tram Ton, the others from the villages of Sin Chai and Cat Cat.
The first route is a more gradual climb because it has been selected for tourists. The trip can be made in a day.
The route from Sin Chai is shorter but more adventurous, requiring climbers to sometimes use ropes or other special facilities for climbing.
The route from Cat Cat is the longest, but mixes some challenging climbs with great scenery. After one day of climbing, there’s a break at 2,200m above sea level. Climbers can have a meal cooked by a Mong porter and camp, followed by a second camp at 2,700m before reaching the peak on the third day.
Most climbers chose a tour from Sa Pa at a cost of about VND1.5 million excluding train fare from Ha Noi, and tours should be booked a month in advance.
Dao Manh Hung, manager of a tourist company which provide tours to Fansipan and other northern mountains, said that cancellations were possible and some tours could be booked on a far shorter lead time.
This year, those who make it to the top will see a new plaque at the peak, placed there in February 2007 by Vietnamese and foreign climbers from the First Fansipan International Climbing Tournament.
The old plaque was first set up by a group of Vietnamese and Russian climbers in 1984. It was first replaced in 2003 when Sa Pa township celebrated its 100th anniversary, but this plaque was heavily vandalised and damaged by severe weather, said Hoang Lien Son National Park director Nguyen Quoc Tri, necessitating its replacement last year.
“Climbing Fansipan is the most appealing and adventurous tourist attraction in Viet Nam because you can really enjoy nature there,” said Le Hong Quang from Ha Noi, who has climbed the mountain several times.
“You can admire the beautiful mountains with forests and flowers all around and get a chance to challenge yourself physically by climbing the heights. It’s a really powerful experience,” Quang said.
In the first half of April alone, the 3,143m-tall mountain in the northwest of the country near Sa Pa welcomed over 250 climbers, 70 per cent of the total to have visited so far this year.
In 2007, about 2,200 visitors came to the mountain.
Quang, whose latest climb of Fansipan took place in February during the coldest weather in a decade, said it took about two months to prepare for the trip.
“To make the trip successful, apart from strong determination and a good backpack, climbers must also check their stamina. This means they should practise by climbing other, smaller mountains such as Ba Vi or Tam Dao,” Quang said.
Vietnamese climbers often choose long holidays to take the trip to Fansipan, especially the period from Tet to the end of May, which includes the big national holidays of Liberation Day (April 30) and Labour Day (May 1).
Experienced climbers say it takes about two or three days to reach the peak following the shortest route. They pay attention the safest way and try to pick the time with the best weather and lowest rainfall, typically between February and April when flowers bloom and hikers have a chance to see the beauty of the Sa Pa region.
Those who start from Ha Noi can take a train to Lao Cai Province then reach Sa Pa by motorbike.
There are three routes to the mountain. One is from Tram Ton, the others from the villages of Sin Chai and Cat Cat.
The first route is a more gradual climb because it has been selected for tourists. The trip can be made in a day.
The route from Sin Chai is shorter but more adventurous, requiring climbers to sometimes use ropes or other special facilities for climbing.
The route from Cat Cat is the longest, but mixes some challenging climbs with great scenery. After one day of climbing, there’s a break at 2,200m above sea level. Climbers can have a meal cooked by a Mong porter and camp, followed by a second camp at 2,700m before reaching the peak on the third day.
Most climbers chose a tour from Sa Pa at a cost of about VND1.5 million excluding train fare from Ha Noi, and tours should be booked a month in advance.
Dao Manh Hung, manager of a tourist company which provide tours to Fansipan and other northern mountains, said that cancellations were possible and some tours could be booked on a far shorter lead time.
This year, those who make it to the top will see a new plaque at the peak, placed there in February 2007 by Vietnamese and foreign climbers from the First Fansipan International Climbing Tournament.
The old plaque was first set up by a group of Vietnamese and Russian climbers in 1984. It was first replaced in 2003 when Sa Pa township celebrated its 100th anniversary, but this plaque was heavily vandalised and damaged by severe weather, said Hoang Lien Son National Park director Nguyen Quoc Tri, necessitating its replacement last year.
Nearly everywhere you go in Vietnam, you’ll see people drinking tea - hot and cold! Here’s a few facts about tea in Vietnam:
Vietnam’s Tea Industry was officially established in 1890
Tea plants are believed to have been growing in the Ha Giang area (North Vietnam) for many year prior.
Three Main Tea growing areas of Vietnam are:
Bao Loc in Lam Dong Province
Sa Pa in Lao Cai Province, and
Moc Chau in Son La Province.
In the 80’s the average export price for tea was $1.40 - 1.60 USD/Kg.
During the 80’s the tea output was around 30,000 tons per/yr. It is now over 100,000
Some 400,000 households in 35 provinces work in the tea industry!
Vietnam’s Tea Industry was officially established in 1890
Tea plants are believed to have been growing in the Ha Giang area (North Vietnam) for many year prior.
Three Main Tea growing areas of Vietnam are:
Bao Loc in Lam Dong Province
Sa Pa in Lao Cai Province, and
Moc Chau in Son La Province.
In the 80’s the average export price for tea was $1.40 - 1.60 USD/Kg.
During the 80’s the tea output was around 30,000 tons per/yr. It is now over 100,000
Some 400,000 households in 35 provinces work in the tea industry!
5 things to do in hoi an
Hoi An Fish Markets
Located behind the main market area on the river, the local Hoi An fish market is a real photographers dream. Best to visit around 6 – 7am each morning when it’s at it’s busiest.
Cooking Classes
Hoi An is a great place to do a cooking class. Many cafes and restaurants now offer classes. Many run over lunch meaning you miss the heat of the day, while others run over dinner. One of the best in town is at Hai’s Scout Cafe (98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street).
Shopping
Hoi An is one the shopping Mecca’s of Vietnam! Here you can buy sandals, lanterns, ceramics, tailor made clothing, bags, art work, crappy t-shirts, wood carvings, novels, bad looking hats and so much more!
Beach
Cau Dai Beach is located about 4km from the main part of town. It’s an easy, flat ride which should take the slowest person around 30 minutes. On the beach you’ll find a stack of cafes all selling cold drinks and fresh seafood! My favorite cafe there is called “Hon” Cafe and they do the best Crab in Tamarind Sauce. The swimming is good as well!
Hire a Bicycle
Hoi An being flat and not so busy with traffic, makes it a great place to hire a bike to ride around and visit all those great places. Bikes cost only $1USD per day and can be hired from just about anywhere. My advice: pick a road (or lane) and just go. You’ll see some great sites and get some amazing photos!
Located behind the main market area on the river, the local Hoi An fish market is a real photographers dream. Best to visit around 6 – 7am each morning when it’s at it’s busiest.
Cooking Classes
Hoi An is a great place to do a cooking class. Many cafes and restaurants now offer classes. Many run over lunch meaning you miss the heat of the day, while others run over dinner. One of the best in town is at Hai’s Scout Cafe (98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street).
Shopping
Hoi An is one the shopping Mecca’s of Vietnam! Here you can buy sandals, lanterns, ceramics, tailor made clothing, bags, art work, crappy t-shirts, wood carvings, novels, bad looking hats and so much more!
Beach
Cau Dai Beach is located about 4km from the main part of town. It’s an easy, flat ride which should take the slowest person around 30 minutes. On the beach you’ll find a stack of cafes all selling cold drinks and fresh seafood! My favorite cafe there is called “Hon” Cafe and they do the best Crab in Tamarind Sauce. The swimming is good as well!
Hire a Bicycle
Hoi An being flat and not so busy with traffic, makes it a great place to hire a bike to ride around and visit all those great places. Bikes cost only $1USD per day and can be hired from just about anywhere. My advice: pick a road (or lane) and just go. You’ll see some great sites and get some amazing photos!
Greenfield (Dong Xuan) Hotel
Greenfield (Dong Xuan) Hotel, 423 Cau Dai Street, Hoi An.
Contact: Phone – 863 484
What’s On Offer?
The Greenfield Hotel provides cheap, clean and friendly accommodation. As a drop of point for several bus companies, the hotel does fills up quickly. Rooms are basic, but have the mod cons that you need for pleasant stay, including air-con, fridge (mini-bar), T.V with cable, hot water and most rooms have windows (many hotels don’t!)
Out the back is nice pool area, along with a bar/restaurant, a great place to cool off, enjoy a drink and meet other travelers.
The hotel has free WiFi, travel desk; bicycle hire and the staff are friendly and helpful.
The Good Oil:
With rooms starting at around the 10USD mark, this is a great option for the budget traveler.
Overall, it’s a great place to stay, meet people and being only a 10/15 minute walk from the Old Town of Hoi An, it’s easy to get around!
Remember to ask for a discount, you never know!
Contact: Phone – 863 484
What’s On Offer?
The Greenfield Hotel provides cheap, clean and friendly accommodation. As a drop of point for several bus companies, the hotel does fills up quickly. Rooms are basic, but have the mod cons that you need for pleasant stay, including air-con, fridge (mini-bar), T.V with cable, hot water and most rooms have windows (many hotels don’t!)
Out the back is nice pool area, along with a bar/restaurant, a great place to cool off, enjoy a drink and meet other travelers.
The hotel has free WiFi, travel desk; bicycle hire and the staff are friendly and helpful.
The Good Oil:
With rooms starting at around the 10USD mark, this is a great option for the budget traveler.
Overall, it’s a great place to stay, meet people and being only a 10/15 minute walk from the Old Town of Hoi An, it’s easy to get around!
Remember to ask for a discount, you never know!
Ao Dai - Vietnamese Plus Size Fashion Statement
For exotic looks, ethnic fashions are wonderful alternatives for the plus size woman. For instance the the ao dai (pronounced “ow zai” in North Vietnam and, “ow yai” in South Vietnam), Vietnam’s national dress, has a styling that looks fabulous on almost anyone. It consists of two elements: a long tunic with a close-fitting bodice, mandarin collar, raglan sleeves, and side slits that create front and back panels from the waist down; and wide-legged pants, often cut on the bias.
While in the distant past both men and women wore the ao dai, in the twenty-first century it is almost exclusively a women’s garment. While the ao dai is now seen as symbolizing traditional Vietnamese identity and femininity, it in fact has a relatively brief history marked by foreign influence. The ao dai provides a outstanding example of how the Vietnamese have responded to both Chinese and French colonization by adopting elements of foreign cultures and modifying them to be uniquely Vietnamese. Prior to the fifteenth century, Vietnamese women typically wore a skirt and halter top. These were some times covered by an open-necked tunic (ao tu than) with four long panels, the front two tied or belted at the waist. Women’s garments were brown or black, accented by brightly colored tops or belts on special occasions.
From 1407 to 1428, China’s Ming Dynasty occupied Vietnam and forced women to wear Chinese-style pants. After regaining independence, Vietnam’s Le Dynasty (1428–178 likewise criticized women’s clothing for violating Confucian standards of decorum. Since the policies were haphazardly enforced, and skirts and halter tops remained the norm.
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Vietnam was divided into two regions, with the Nguyen family ruling the south. To distinguish their subjects from northerners, Nguyen lords ordered southern men and women to wear Chinese-style trousers and long, front-buttoning tunics. After the Nguyen family gained control over the entire country in 1802, the conservative Confucian Emperor Minh Mang banned women’s skirts on aesthetic and moral grounds.
Over the next century, precursors to the modern ao dai became popular in cities, at the royal court in Hue, and for holidays and festivals in the countryside. The outfit basically consisted of pants and a loose-fitting shirt with a stand-up collar and a diagonal closure that ran along the right side from the neck to the armpit, with some regional variations. These features of the ao dao were copied from Chinese and Manchu garments. The upper classes often layered several ao dai of different colors, with the neck left open to display the layers. Among peasants and laborers, however, the skirt (va) and halter top (yem) remained popular for daily wear.
During the 1930s Hanoi artist Nguyen Cat Tuong, also known as Lemur, presented ao dai styles inspired by French fashion. He designed them with light-colored, close-fitting tunics featured longer panels, puffy sleeves; asymmetrical lace collars, buttoned cuffs, scalloped hems, and darts at the waist and chest. Lemur’s Europeanized flared pants were white with snugly tailored hips. Criticized by conservatives, Lemur’s designs nonetheless marked the materialization of contemporary ao dai blending traditional Vietnamese elements with Western tailoring and bodily aesthetics.
French colonialism ended in 1954 with the division of Vietnam into North and South. In North Vietnam, Communist leaders criticized the ao dai as bourgeois, colonial, and impractical for manual labor, although women continued to wear it for special occasions.
When the ao dai fell into disfavor in socialist Vietnam, Vietnamese who had immigrated to the United States, Canada, Australia, or France preserved it as a symbol of their ethnic heritage. Ao dai were seen at fashion shows, Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations, weddings, and musical performances throughout the Vietnamese communities of the world, which numbered approximately 2.6 million in 2006.
Meanwhile, in capitalist South Vietnam, modifications of the garment continued. Madame Nhu the sister-in-law of President Ngo Dinh Diem, became notorious in the 1950s and 1960s for the very plunging necklines of her ao dai.
In 1975, the Vietnam War ended with the reunification of North and South under communist rule. Leaders derided the southern ao dai as decadent and promoted simpler, practical clothing styles. But austerity proved short-lived. By the 1990s, economic reforms and improved standards of living led to a revival of the ao dai within Vietnam and to growing international awareness of it as a symbol of Vietnamese identity. In 1989, the Women’s Newspaper in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) hosted the first Miss Ao Dai contest. Six years later, Miss Vietnam’s blue brocade ao dai won the prize for best national costume at Tokyo’s Miss International Pageant. Simple white ao dai have been reinstated in many cities and towns as uniforms for female high school students, while Vietnam Airlines flight attendants wear red ao dai.
The ao dai has also inspired non-Asian designers. Following the 1992 films “Indochine” and “The Lover”, both set in the French colonial period, Ralph Lauren, Richard Tyler, Claude Montana, and Giorgio Armani presented ao dai–inspired collections. While “Indo-Chic” fashions can be Orientalist in their celebration of a demure and exotic Vietnamese femininity, they are typically welcomed in Vietnam as evidence that the ao dai has entered the canon of international fashion.
Some current designers employ novel fabrics, abstract motifs, and ethnic minority patterns, while others alter the tunic by opening necklines, removing sleeves, or replacing the long panels with fringe. The once scandalous white pants now seem outmoded, and women instead favor pants the same color as the tunic.
So the ao dia has an interesting history. But with the selections of materials and cuts, the ao dai allows the fashion-conscious plus size woman to be simultaneously trendy and fabulous throughout the year and on special occasions.
While in the distant past both men and women wore the ao dai, in the twenty-first century it is almost exclusively a women’s garment. While the ao dai is now seen as symbolizing traditional Vietnamese identity and femininity, it in fact has a relatively brief history marked by foreign influence. The ao dai provides a outstanding example of how the Vietnamese have responded to both Chinese and French colonization by adopting elements of foreign cultures and modifying them to be uniquely Vietnamese. Prior to the fifteenth century, Vietnamese women typically wore a skirt and halter top. These were some times covered by an open-necked tunic (ao tu than) with four long panels, the front two tied or belted at the waist. Women’s garments were brown or black, accented by brightly colored tops or belts on special occasions.
From 1407 to 1428, China’s Ming Dynasty occupied Vietnam and forced women to wear Chinese-style pants. After regaining independence, Vietnam’s Le Dynasty (1428–178 likewise criticized women’s clothing for violating Confucian standards of decorum. Since the policies were haphazardly enforced, and skirts and halter tops remained the norm.
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Vietnam was divided into two regions, with the Nguyen family ruling the south. To distinguish their subjects from northerners, Nguyen lords ordered southern men and women to wear Chinese-style trousers and long, front-buttoning tunics. After the Nguyen family gained control over the entire country in 1802, the conservative Confucian Emperor Minh Mang banned women’s skirts on aesthetic and moral grounds.
Over the next century, precursors to the modern ao dai became popular in cities, at the royal court in Hue, and for holidays and festivals in the countryside. The outfit basically consisted of pants and a loose-fitting shirt with a stand-up collar and a diagonal closure that ran along the right side from the neck to the armpit, with some regional variations. These features of the ao dao were copied from Chinese and Manchu garments. The upper classes often layered several ao dai of different colors, with the neck left open to display the layers. Among peasants and laborers, however, the skirt (va) and halter top (yem) remained popular for daily wear.
During the 1930s Hanoi artist Nguyen Cat Tuong, also known as Lemur, presented ao dai styles inspired by French fashion. He designed them with light-colored, close-fitting tunics featured longer panels, puffy sleeves; asymmetrical lace collars, buttoned cuffs, scalloped hems, and darts at the waist and chest. Lemur’s Europeanized flared pants were white with snugly tailored hips. Criticized by conservatives, Lemur’s designs nonetheless marked the materialization of contemporary ao dai blending traditional Vietnamese elements with Western tailoring and bodily aesthetics.
French colonialism ended in 1954 with the division of Vietnam into North and South. In North Vietnam, Communist leaders criticized the ao dai as bourgeois, colonial, and impractical for manual labor, although women continued to wear it for special occasions.
When the ao dai fell into disfavor in socialist Vietnam, Vietnamese who had immigrated to the United States, Canada, Australia, or France preserved it as a symbol of their ethnic heritage. Ao dai were seen at fashion shows, Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations, weddings, and musical performances throughout the Vietnamese communities of the world, which numbered approximately 2.6 million in 2006.
Meanwhile, in capitalist South Vietnam, modifications of the garment continued. Madame Nhu the sister-in-law of President Ngo Dinh Diem, became notorious in the 1950s and 1960s for the very plunging necklines of her ao dai.
In 1975, the Vietnam War ended with the reunification of North and South under communist rule. Leaders derided the southern ao dai as decadent and promoted simpler, practical clothing styles. But austerity proved short-lived. By the 1990s, economic reforms and improved standards of living led to a revival of the ao dai within Vietnam and to growing international awareness of it as a symbol of Vietnamese identity. In 1989, the Women’s Newspaper in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) hosted the first Miss Ao Dai contest. Six years later, Miss Vietnam’s blue brocade ao dai won the prize for best national costume at Tokyo’s Miss International Pageant. Simple white ao dai have been reinstated in many cities and towns as uniforms for female high school students, while Vietnam Airlines flight attendants wear red ao dai.
The ao dai has also inspired non-Asian designers. Following the 1992 films “Indochine” and “The Lover”, both set in the French colonial period, Ralph Lauren, Richard Tyler, Claude Montana, and Giorgio Armani presented ao dai–inspired collections. While “Indo-Chic” fashions can be Orientalist in their celebration of a demure and exotic Vietnamese femininity, they are typically welcomed in Vietnam as evidence that the ao dai has entered the canon of international fashion.
Some current designers employ novel fabrics, abstract motifs, and ethnic minority patterns, while others alter the tunic by opening necklines, removing sleeves, or replacing the long panels with fringe. The once scandalous white pants now seem outmoded, and women instead favor pants the same color as the tunic.
So the ao dia has an interesting history. But with the selections of materials and cuts, the ao dai allows the fashion-conscious plus size woman to be simultaneously trendy and fabulous throughout the year and on special occasions.
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