HÀ NỘI — Many Vietnamese and international designers will attend Việt Nam International Fashion Week (VIFW) Fall/Winter 2016 at the National Convention Centre in Hà Nội on November 1-6.

The event, to be held for the first time in the capital city, will showcase the most innovative, creative and impressive collections of elite local and international fashion designers, including Nguyễn Công Trí, Phương My, Giao Linh and Thủy Nguyễn.

Giao Linh will showcase a feminine easy wear collection called Under the Moonlight, inspired by the 1970s era.

“The designs will look both sexy and on-point at the same time,” Linh said.

Đinh Văn Thơ will highlight a collection of áo dài (Vietnamese traditional long dress) entitled Mộc – Việt Nam (Simple Việt Nam). Famous beauty spots in the country, such as Hà Nội, Huế, Hội An and HCM City, inspire his designs.

Hoàng Quyên, the owner of Tiny Ink which was established in 2012, will introduce the latest designs inspired by the galaxy, sky and nature. Quyên pioneered the hand painting trend in Việt Nam, and her designs reflect creativity and unique ideas.

Nguyễn Ngọc Lê, the winner of the Việt Nam Emerging Designer Contest, will also introduce Village, a collection inspired by rural Việt Nam. The collection features materials like wool and linen. Lê beat hundreds of other contestants by designing a mini collection in only 10 days, convincing the jury to name the designer the winner. This is the first time the contest has been held as part of VIFW.

Big names in the Vietnamese fashion industry will also attend the event. Fashion design star power will include Canifa with the collection Street Spirit by designer Lê Hà, Luala with a collection inspired by nature and music by designer Vũ Tá Linh, 21SIX with the collection Sandy Stormy, and I Hate Fashion with the collection The Memoirs by Victoria Huyền Nguyễn.

International fashion designers and brands attending will include Julien Fournie (France), Joe Chia (Malaysia), Boys of Bangkok (Thailand), Frederick Lee (Singapore), Priyo Oktaviano (Indonesia), and Atelier Chardon Savard Paris (France).

Asia’s Most Influential Designer of 2014, Joe Chia, will introduce a new persona collection called Chapter 8. Muted wine and taupe colours will paint the collection in a new direction, accompanied by oversized silhouettes and experimental cuts and tailoring. Fashioned from street influences, intricate draperies, and delicate embroideries, Chapter 08 is the beginning of a new expedition.

The collections will be presented by leading models, such as Thanh Hằng – judge of Việt Nam’s Next Top Model contest (VNTM), La Thanh Thanh – first runner-up of VNTM 2016, and many foreign models.

Launching platform for fashion

VIFW comes to Hà Nội after three highly successful HCM City seasons showcasing the most impressive collections by notable Vietnamese and international fashion designers and brands.

"From now on, VIFW will host two shows per year, with HCM City presenting the Spring/Summer collections and Hà Nội the Fall/Winter collections," said Lê Thị Quỳnh Trang, the founder and president of VIFW.

“From its inception in 2014, the event has attracted millions of Vietnamese fashion-lovers and been highly regarded by the world’s fashion critics and  followers,” she said. “It has also been seen as a key development in Việt Nam’s fashion industry, which is regarded as one of the most dynamic emerging fashion markets in the world.”

“Thanks to VIFW, a number of local fashion designer names such as Hoàng Minh Hà, Thủy Nguyễn, Adrian Anh Tuấn and Lý Giám Tiền — as well as brands like Canifa, I Hate Fashion and Tiny Ink — have been popularised and gained a greater regional and international profile.”

The participation of leading international fashion designers such as the Japanese "Queen of Bridal Wear" Yumi Katsura, notable Italian couturier Renato Balestra, French couturier Julien Fournié, the Korean King of Menswear, Songzio, and legendary Japanese designer Kenzo have brought global fashion talent to the runway and established VIFW on the world stage.

“We are delighted to see the increasing popularity of VIFW reflected by audience support and media coverage through local and international channels. It is a clear indication of the success of the platform and an essential motivation for us to evolve the concept and push Việt Nam’s fashion boundaries forward by organising two dedicated fashion weeks per year,” she said. — VNS