Ao Dai [p.3]

Then in 1986 the Vietnamese markets opened under Doi Moi or Renovation Policy. The ao dai was revived as a symbol of the nation and its need to reconnect with the world. Ao dais began to appear more widely in public places. In particular, it returned as the standard uniform for women civil servants, hotel hostesses, restaurant workers, airline workers and high-school girls. Though not as durable or practical as a Western suit, the form of the ao dai still allowed for more movement compared to other national costumes such as the kimono.

In 1989 the first ao dai beauty contest organized by Bao Phu Nu (Women's Newspaper) signaled the formal return of the ao dai. In 1995 Truong Quynh Mai's blue-and-white brocade ao dai was chosen as the "Best National Costume" at the Miss International Pageant in Tokyo, garnering international attention for the ao dai. In recent years, contemporary ao dai have appeared on the Paris runways and have influenced top fashion designers like Claude Montana, Ralph Lauren, Karl Lagerfeld, Richard Tyler and Christian Lacroix.

The Ao Dai Revival
With the seemingly endless design possibilities, it is no wonder we are experiencing an ao dai revival. While the ao dai has gone mainstream, the revival began when the people of Viet Nam rediscovered not only the traditional beauty of the ao dai, but also the desire to update it for a modern generation.

Vietnamese expatriates, too, contributed to the metamorphosis of the ao dai. Communities in places like Orange County, Santa Clara County, Houston, Springfield, and Dorchester began to preserve and evolutionize the ao dai with more Western fabrics and cuts. Ao dai creations grew quite daring, especially as seen in variety shows like Paris by Night. Young designers styled ao dai for singers and dancers to market sex appeal. Bold young Vietnamese Americans started to wear shoulder- or mid-drift bearing designs that often used transparent fabrics which revealed decorative bras underneath.

Not all Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) design for entertainers or the masses. Some have a sensibility all their own. Trained as a designer in the United States, Le Phuong Thao now works exclusively on ao dais. Thao's masculine lines and loose-fitting, functional ao dais appeal to the modern woman. Her design elements are also reminiscent of the French colonial era in Viet Nam.

Also keeping style and comfort in mind, former vice president of merchandising for Giorgio Armani, Monica Tran, turned her years of experience to producing her own line of clothing, Trust Fund Baby. Her clothes have been featured in Elle and worn by Hollywood stars like Angelina Jolie. One of the most sought-after pieces in her collection is Tran's take on the modern ao dai. Monochromatic and made of tencel, an easy-to-wear fabric, her simple yet refined design is a favorite of Courtney Cox who has ordered one in every color.

While some designers create, others renovate. Trinh Bach is an ao dai restorer. Since immigrating to America in 1975, the New York-based painter, master guitarist, and former makeup artist finally found his calling as a preservationist of ancient ao dais. A descendant of Vietnamese aristocracy, Bach initially returned to visit his homeland. Then, at the bequest of the Vietnamese government, he stayed to restore the wilting royal ao dais of Hue.

Bach is proud that he was able to find aging craftsmen and women who taught him the art of preservation in order to pass on their knowledge to young artisans. With his newfound knowledge, Bach single-handedly created a group of 28 craftsmen who worked to restore and duplicate historical royal robes, saving the precious garments from extinction. Bach's own collection of ao dais has been shown in Viet Nam and Europe.