Vietnam has participated in international beauty contests since the 1950s. Since then, ao dai – the Vietnamese traditional dress, has always accompanied Vietnamese representatives and received praise from judges.
"Each country has its own traditional costumes and is proud of them; Vietnam is not an exception with our traditional ao dai. To date, all ao dai used for international contests were carefully designed, from their forms to their colors and patterns", said Duc Hung, fashion designer.
The ao dai originated from a five-paneled tunic called the “ao ngu than”, which has a loose fit and sometimes wide sleeves. Over time, the ao dai has changed to adapt to society’s tastes.
Regardless of changes in color, patterns, and material, ao dai still possess a classical beauty, and are a source of pride for the Vietnamese.
Contained within the graceful image of the ao dai is the history and spirit of the Vietnamese, which has been preserved for thousands of years.
