WINNING FACE: Huỳnh Tú Anh, winner of The Face Vietnam 2023, in a dress by designer Võ Công Khanh, who will open the AVIFW 2024 with his latest collection called “Kiệt Tác Của Nước” (Masterpiece of Water). — Photo courtesy of Multimedia JSC

HCM CITY – The Aquafina Việt Nam International Fashion Week (AVIFW) will launch a series of events to celebrate its 10th anniversary this year.

The celebration will open with the AVIFW 2024, which will take place at HCM City’s Military Zone 7 Stadium from June 13-16.

Lê Thị Quỳnh Trang, VIFW President, said at a press conference earlier this week: "After travelling to New York Fashion Week in 2011 with Vietnamese models, I was overwhelmed and wished a fashion week for Việt Nam. In 2014, I decided to launch a fashion week for Việt Nam to bring Vietnamese fashion to the world and the world’s fashion to Việt Nam.”

She added: "For the anniversary season, the AVIFW will have the theme of “Fashion Evolution” to mark a significant transition of Vietnamese fashion and open a new decade. It honours the strong development and accelerated progress of Vietnamese fashion in the past 10 years, contributing to elevating the industry’s status in the world’s fashion map. It’s time to rise and shine.”

Trang also announced that the VIFW and its partners were working on the establishment of the Việt Nam Fashion Council, which would officially launch at the AVIFW Fall/Winter in Hà Nội later this year.

ANNIVERSARY MILESTONE: VIFW President Lê Thị Quỳnh Trang emotionally shares the 10-year journey of establishing and developing Việt Nam International Fashion Week. — Photo courtesy of Multimedia JSC

The AVIFW 2024 will attract 16 international and Vietnamese designers and fashion brands.

Vietnamese designer Võ Công Khanh will open the event with his latest collection called “Kiệt Tác Của Nước” (Masterpiece of Water).

The collection represents revival and recycling, utilising small and fragmented materials and leftover fabric pieces to form and recreate beautiful designs with 3D visual effects.

The work aims to minimise industry waste and send a message of joining hands to protect a clean source of life.

Khanh said: “Becoming the designer opening the AVIFW 2024 is an honour, especially for its 10-year milestone. This honour comes with significant pressure of carrying such a special responsibility.”

Khanh’s journey to fashion prominence began after winning top prize at the Vietnam Collection Grand Prix 2002, which gave him the chance to work with French fashion designer Stéphane Rolland in 2003.

He has since released several collections including “Trúc Mai” (Bamboo and Ochna Flower), “Con Cò” (Stork) and “Butterfly” at events like Việt Nam Fashion Week, Elle Fashion Show and Festival Huế.

He is known for using “green materials” made of oyster shells, coffee grounds, lotus fibre and recycled plastic for his design, stressing the need for and desirability of sustainability in the fashion industry.

The show will also present new collections from designers Fredrick Lee from Singapore, Chung Chung Lee from South Korea, and Maria Giovanna Costa from Italy.

Hà Nội-based Vũ Việt Hà will close the fashion week with a collection named “Cô Ấy Là Ai” (Who She Is) featuring designs made of Vietnamese natural materials.

The Việt Nam International Fashion Week is the leading fashion event in ASEAN, ranking fourth in Asia after the Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai fashion weeks. — VNS

TRADITIONAL STYLE: Two áo dài (Vietnamese traditional dress) by designer Thuỷ Nguyễn. — Photo courtesy of Multimedia JSC

FRESH LOOKS: Two looks from designer Lý Giám Tiền. — Photo courtesy of Multimedia JSC