Hanoi’s handicraft village promotes beauty of Vietnamese Ao Dai

Ao Dai Trach Xa’s design has been keeping its traditional traits but added modern touches which contribute to highlighting the elegance and charm of the simple, graceful and elegant gown.

Trach Xa village has long been famous of Ao Dai and festive dresses. It is said that, the royal concubines of King Dinh Tien Hoang learnt Ao Dai tailoring in the palace, and when they retired, they taught the craft to Trach Xa villagers. Since then, it has become the traditional trade of this village from generation to generation.

For many centuries, many generations of tailors in Trach Xa village have contributed to preserving and promoting the charm of the traditional Vietnamese costume.

Trach Xa village is now home to 500 households, and 90% them earn their living from Ao Dai tailoring. However, the majority of orders usually arrive in the first and the last months of the year, so the income is not stable.

Local villagers usually learn the basic hand stitching at the age of six or seven and they are able to make a complete outfit of Ao Dai by themselves a few years later.

Many villagers nurture their passion for the trade as they always bear in mind that it is a valuable asset handed down by their ancestors and is an indispensable part of the community.

The beauty of softness and gentleness of Trach Xa’s Ao Dai is represented with a high collar, two graceful laps in front and behind. The curve lineof the waist enhances the attractiveness of the Vietnamese women.

Tailor-made Ao dai from Trach Xa has become more popular in the market and received much praise from domestic and foreign customers thanks to the preservation work of the villagers and a chain of stores in downtown Hanoi.

Not only famous for making Ao Dai, Trach Xa villagers have also won much appraise for tailoring royal and festive costumes.

Trach Xa traditional Ao Dai has a unique style, which represents an invariable cultural value despite the upheavals over time.

With the support of the local authorities, the Trach Xa Tailor Cooperative was established in 2011 to develop the brand name of Trach Xa’s Ao Dai.

The cooperative has implemented many activities to promote the traditional craft of making Ao Dai among customers at home and abroad by organizing a range of Ao Dai festivals.