This month, we were delighted to visit the HCMC atelier of Vietnamese designer, Trinh Hoang Dieu. With shoes off and the evening lights dimmed, we crept lightly around the room. The Dieu dresses have a modern elegance that is rooted clearly in Vietnamese tradition. I spent a little too much time ogling a gorgeously gauzy yellow overcoat with intricate red beading.

Here is Trinh Hoang Dieu talking about her take on the traditional áo dài dress.

And here we see a Daingo film that follows the preparations for and execution of a Dieu Fashion Show.

The Dieu Atelier was one of a number of interesting discoveries in a city where Vietnamese nobles lay ground. It is a city where the French took control, bringing their distinctive architecture, and a city where North defeated South at the end of the Vietnam war. Now, HCMC is a city with a vibrant entrepreneurial culture.

By Elizabeth Newton
www.creatorsvancouver.com