Ao Dai - The quintessence of being a woman
Source: Life Magazine
“I am fascinated with the timelessness and the ingenuity of the Ao Dai. Even though many traditions have slowly disappeared with modernisation, the Ao Dai dress still remains an icon of strength, a statement of identity and an emblem of pride”.
It quietly brings out the elegance of the wearer yet powerfully illuminates a sense of grace, dignity and beauty, which to me, perfectly captures the quintessence of being a woman.
Before taking up the challenge of this takeover, I didn’t know too much about the Ao Dai, its history or the role it plays in my cultural heritage. Growing up, I saw the Ao Dai appear during weddings and Tet, which is Vietnamese lunar new year. Worn by family or friends during ceremonial occasions, the Ao Dai dresses were usually in red, and dramatically loaded with diamante outlining motifs such as phoenix or dragon, or printed to resemble delicate water-coloured renditions of chrysanthemums or cherry blossoms. Given the little I know about this traditional dress, I thought it would be a meaningful nod to my roots to explore and trace the evolution of the Ao Dai.
It is especially heartening to know one theory as to when the Ao Dai was introduced goes as far back as 38 AD, to two sisters known as the Truong sisters. These pair of courageous sisters was heroines who led a revolution against the ruling Chinese Han dynasty.
The Ao Dai saw a radical evolution during the early 1900s, partially due to the French colonisation. This time yet another woman brought about a wave of creative change. A lady named Cat Tuong blended new innovations with the existing old design and gave the Ao Dai a modern, westernised look that was refreshing and visually appealing.
As the years passed, the Ao Dai underwent a few modifications, but what caught my eyes were the images from the 60s and 70s, which I came across during my research. The photographs were what we now call “street fashion photography”, taken during the height of the Ao Dai come-back, particularly in Saigon. During this era, the Ao Dai introduced a raglan sleeve to reduce the use of excessive fabric, as well as looser-fitting trousers that translated to a sense of comfort and ease. This spoke to me as being conscious, good designing, which was truly inspiring.
These black and white photos from Life Magazine moved me to look in-depth at the construction of the Ao Dai. Fine silk tunic panels cascading in the breeze, tiny waist, and darts which drew in the bust, the Ao Dai dresses were worn by ladies, posing effortlessly and confidently while clutching their bags.
Over the coming weeks, we will further update our readers with segments that brings us on a journey to explore the evolution of fashion in Vietnam.