Born in 1990 in Y Yen commune, Ninh Binh with a congenital disability that left her with a small body, a hunched back, crooked legs, and an underdeveloped skeletal system, Vu Thi Lan endured four major surgeries just to be able to wear shoes and walk like her peers. However, her childhood was still marked by long months of treatment and interrupted schooling.
Despite this, Lan overcame adversity to graduate with honors in Accounting from the Hanoi College of Economics and Technology. Yet her frail health and distinctive appearance meant that she was unemployed for over ten years and lived a withdrawn life with little contact with the outside world.
The turning point came in early 2024, when Lan stumbled upon inspirational videos on social media and learned about a tailoring class run by Nguyen Duy Long in Hanoi. Determined to “stitch” her life anew, she set out to acquire the necessary skills, spending more than three months diligently mastering each seam and stitch. Returning home, she opened a sewing shop right in her yard, lovingly named the “1m25 Sewing Shop”. As well as tailoring children’s clothes and crocheting adorable animals, Lan now livestreams regularly, sharing her positive energy on her “Lan Khuyet” page.
This week's show will feature the appearance of her teacher, Nguyen Duy Long, who not only taught her the craft but also gave her the confidence to record her first video
In “Station of Love – The Thread That Stitches Life”, viewers will accompany Lan on her emotional journey. The program opens with an impressive scene of Lan on stage, showcasing pretty dresses that she designed and sewn herself, alongside a live “million-view” stream right in the studio. She will openly share with host Minh Hang about her childhood memories, her four surgeries, her years of unemployment, and how she found herself again through tailoring.
The show also features a report, “A Day at the 1m25 Sewing Shop”, which takes audiences into her small but lively workspace, where each handmade product carries a personal story behind it. The program also presents Lan’s dream for the future: to open a workshop that produces garments and trains women with disabilities or from disadvantaged backgrounds, helping them discover their self-worth and build a stable livelihood.
The gift from Station of Love will partly ease Lan’s financial burden and support her in making this dream a reality.
Station of Love – The Thread That Stitches Life is not just about overcoming fate, it also conveys a powerful message: “Even if life is imperfect, as long as you keep striving, you can stitch together something truly complete with your own hands.”
The program will air at 10:00 AM, Saturday, August 16, 2025, on VTV1.
