Miss Earth 2018 Nguyễn Phương Khánh wears an áo dài made from chirimen, a traditional Japanese silk, designed by veteran designer Võ Việt Chung of HCM City. — Photo from designer’s Facebook page

HCM CITY — Fashion designer Võ Việt Chung has introduced his latest áo dài (Vietnamese dress) collection called Họa Hồn (Painting The Soul) in HCM City.  

The collection features 30 áo dài designs, mostly in retro colours such as black, dark green and midnight blue that are used in ceremonies. The clothes feature images of flowers and plants. 

The designs are made from chirimen, a traditional Japanese silk which is called crepe in English.

This is the second time Chung has used chirimen in his designs. Last Christmas, his collection in the fabric made a strong impression in the industry.

The chirimen weaving technique was developed in the late 16th century. The fabric is still widely used for Japanese kimonos today. The silk is often decorated with images of flowers and animals. 

According to Chung, chirimen is a stronger fabric than other types of silk so its thickness and weight give it a feeling of quality.

“My designs in chirimen attract middle-aged women who love wearing áo dài in a different way,” said 46-year-old Chung, who has 25 years of experience in the industry. 

Chung invited top fashion models and film and theatre artists, including Miss Earth 2018 Nguyễn Phương Khánh, to wear his clothes.

Chung began his career in HCM City in 1995. He took part in a two-year training course in Italy and Denmark funded by the Europe Fashion Federation in 2005.

In 2007, he was invited to show his collections on the Mega-F Diamond Cruise Ship chartered by the Fashion TV (FTV) channel when the five-star cruise ship docked at HCM City's Nhà Rồng Wharf. FTV's top models wore his designs on the catwalk.

Chung later signed an exclusive contract with FTV to introduce his products on the channel.     

Chung was invited to design áo dài for 85 contestants in the 2008 Miss Universe contest, which was first organised in Việt Nam’s Nha Trang City.

He is responsible for introducing Lãnh Mỹ A, a famous satin that has been made for more than 100 years in Đồng Tháp Province's Hoàng Ngự District, through his collections shown around the world.

His designs have been seen on the catwalk at fashion shows throughout the country and in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Paris.

His designs for áo dài in chirimen are displayed and sold at his store on 375/4 Hoàng Sa Street in District 1. 

Other áo dài collections by veteran designers Thuận Việt and Liên Hương will be released soon. The two collections feature images of famous landscapes in Hà Nội, Huế and Hội An.— VNS