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The wow of the ao: Vietnamese youth may be turning into an MTV nation, but fashion doesn't have to go the way of the West in order to keep up. Duc Hanh talks to Vietnamese designers who are making the most of the sass of the past.

Article Excerpt
"I love the ao yem (halter top) and the vay (long and loose skirt) of the Kinh and Muong ethnic people of northern Vietnam," says artist Tran Huu Tien, chief of the fashion department at the Hanoi Open University. The ao yem, a Vietnamese-style brassiere, is a piece of silk that covers the front of the body but leaves the back totally exposed--sexy, yet subtle, and the best of Vietnamese fashion, according to Tien. "A girl who wears an ao yem is very sexy, but also looks pure and dedicated," he muses." Long and loose skirts are also very suitable for Vietnamese girls, as they hide the flat hips, big calves and splayed feet common to Vietnamese people."

At 47 years old, some might argue that Tien doesn't represent the young generation of designers, but he isn't alone in his views. Many contemporary Vietnamese fashion designers, tired of playing catch-up with the West, are looking to the past to find inspiration for the future. In doing so, they're creating a distinct look that could only come from Vietnam.

Designer Dang Minh Ha, 35, owner of Que Gallery on...