Kimono - Ao dai Fashion Show: The beauty of Vietnam-Japan cultural exchange

Held at the ballroom of the InterContinental Westlake in Hanoi, hundreds of guests were delighted to see the special designs. In addition to compliments to the show’s main designer and founder of Tokyo-based non-profit Be-Japon, Kobayashi Eiko, many congratulations were also extended to Nguyen Thi Nga, chairwoman of BRG Group, for helping to organise the event.

As a lover of beauty and cherishing traditional values, Nga was more than happy to contribute in promoting Vietnamese culture and connecting the friendship between Vietnam and Japan.

The media event gave interested parties a taste of what was to come

“This is a special year as Vietnam and Japan are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations, while we are also marking 30 years since the establishment of BRG Group,” said Nga. “This fashion show was a way for BRG to bring the beauty of Vietnamese culture to the world, prompting us to continue looking for partners with the same goal to move towards sustainable development.”

Some 20 kimonos and six innovative ao dai made from ancient kimonos more than 100 years old were worn by Vietnamese and Japanese artists in a space filled with Japanese art and music.

Guests were also treated to a unique exhibition featuring a variety of kimonos and ao dai before entering the main show, including the junihitoe, a kimono considered to be the ultimate representation of traditional Japanese fashion beauty, which can mostly only be seen in museums.

Designer Kobayashi Eiko explained the concept of the Kimono - Ao dai collection

Designer Eiko said that she was very excited about the initiative and devoted a lot of love to designing ao dai from ancient kimono fabric. In the journey of renewing the kimono to help this traditional outfit keep pace with the vibrant life and breath of the times, a kimono combined with ao dai is her latest creation, shown off for the first time at the event.

Nga of BRG added that understanding and empathy among people is the foundation for the development of Japan-Vietnam relations with practical examples shown in the close relationship between the leaders of the two countries, and the wide exchange of culture, cuisine, and lifestyle between the two nations.

Yamada Takio, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam, said that the significant contributions of groups such as BRG help create a strong friendship relationship between the two countries cannot be ignored.

BRG is currently cooperating with large Japanese enterprises such as Sumitomo and Sanrio, in areas such as the retail supermarket chain FujiMart and North Hanoi Smart City project.

Preserving traditional values through fashion Renowned Japanese designer Kobayashi Eiko, founder of non-profit organisation Be-Japon, discussed with VIR’s Thai An about culture as symbolised in unique costumes that combine the typical traditional features of the Japanese kimono and Vietnamese ao dai.

Tightening the Vietnam-Japan friendship through culture Japanese ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio told VIR’s Tra My that culture will be an important factor in strengthening the relationship between the two countries. The Kimono - Ao dai Fashion Show will serve as the opening event for a chain of cultural exchange ahead of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between both countries this month.

Nguyen Thi Nga: The woman of steel waving a magic wand for vietnamese cultural values BRG Group chairwoman Nguyen Thi Nga has a passion for promoting traditional and cultural values. She spoke to VIR’s Viet Chung about strengthening the cultural exchange between Vietnam and Japan, as well as the group’s other interests across sport, hospitality, and more.