HCM CITY — Twenty-six famous áo dài (Vietnamese traditional long dress) designers will participate in the sixth annual Áo Dài Festival in HCM City to be held from March 2-17.

Miss Universe H’Hen Niê and 15 celebrities have been chosen as ambassadors for the festival with the theme “Charming Áo Dài HCM City.”

The event will open with a fashion show with 80 models and artists showing new collections of áo dài by famous designers such as Sĩ Hoàng, Liên Hương, Việt Hùng, Hữu Là La and Brian Võ on Saturday evening (March 2) on Nguyễn Huệ Walking Street.

It will be followed by a parade of 3,000 people dressed in áo dài on Nguyễn Huệ Walking Street on Sunday morning (March 3).

The event also includes the “Charming Áo Dài HCM City 2019” contest from January 15 to March 3 and an online photo contest “The Beautiful Áo Dài” from January 15 to March 10 with an aim to honour the beauty and grace of the áo dài.

Áo dài fabric exhibitions will be held at the Áo Dài Museum in District 9 and Áo Dài Exhibition in District 1 from March 2-17.

The “Việt Nam- Japan Cultural Exchange: Áo Dài and Tsumami Craft” workshop and a seminar on traditional áo dài fabrics will also be held during the festival.

The Áo Dài Festival is one of the city’s unique cultural and tourism events that promote the city as a friendly, safe and exciting tourist destination, according to Nguyễn Thị Ánh Hoa, deputy director of the city’s Department of Tourism, the festival’s organiser.

Nearly 300 tailor shops and fashion houses will offer a 5-50 per cent discount on áo dài in March, Hoa said at a press meeting held yesterday (Feb 26).

State officials, workers and local residents are encouraged to wear áo dài in March, she said.

Miss Universe H’Hen Niê said that as the festival’s ambassador she would try her best to spread the message of the festival: “I love áo dài.”

Last year, the event attracted 100,000 local and international visitors. More than 1,200 new áo dài designs were introduced to the public during the festival. —VNS