Spreading the beauty of Ao dai

The Ao dai passed down the streets during the 2025 Community Ao dai Week. Photo: D. HOANG

Many visitors and Hue residents, especially women who already enjoy showcasing their beauty in the Ao dai, now have an even greater opportunity to immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of the Ao dai Festival. “Not only does Ao dai enhance my femininity, but it also helps me feel more confident when participating in cultural activities, festivals, or important events of family and office,” shared Ms. Nguyen Thu Suong, a Hue resident.

For Hue people, Ao dai is extremely familiar. For visitors who choose to visit Hue during this time, it feels like a fortunate coincidence. Besides posing and taking photos at famous landmarks, they also seize the chance to participate in events within the Ao dai Week to immerse themselves in cultural values of the nation.

Ms. Vu Thu (from Da Nang) shared that she loves visiting Hue to sightsee and pose for photos wearing Ao dai. Therefore, she always packs a few sets of Ao dai in her backpack to have a change. “Photos look beautiful everywhere, but Hue is the most fitting. The heritage landscapes and landmarks of this land are not only poetic but also peaceful, so wearing Ao dai makes me feel very graceful and elegant,” said Ms. Thu.

The Community Ao dai Week began with an Ao dai performance event, held inside An Dinh Palace, attended by numerous international guests. Many were amazed by the combined values that create the brand name of Hue, which are Ao dai, music, and heritage.

According to the Organizing Committee, the Community Ao dai Week aims to honor the traditional beauty of Ao dai Vietnam. Beyond that, the event also seeks to boost tourism development and promote the images of Hue and its people to domestic and international friends. Additionally, it aims to connect the community through art activities, parades, seminars, exhibitions, as well as sports and education activities.

Mr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Hue City, believes that promoting the value of traditional costume heritage, with a focus on the Ao dai, and building the brand name “Hue - The Capital of Ao dai Vietnam” is actually about reviving a typical cultural heritage of Hue, bringing that heritage into contemporary life, and allowing it to shine as it once did. Moreover, the prominence of the “Ao dai Capital” is not just a cultural brand name, but also contributes to the sustainable development of Hue, a land rich in heritage.

Mr. Hai also stated that the sector is accelerating the development of heritage tourism model associated with Ao dai and other traditional costumes of Hue. The effective combination of preserving and promoting the value of the ao dai heritage and other traditional costumes of Hue, linked with tourism and service development, will be a significant advantage for the sustainable tourism development in Hue Ancient Capital.

To achieve this, investment from the budget and socialized resources is needed, along with the implementation of programs and activities to develop the brand name of Hue Ao dai and ancient royal and folk costumes, such as Ao dai festivals during the Festivals, Ao dai fashion shows organized by businesses, and Hue Ao dai exhibitions, etc. “By doing so, we will affirm that the Ao dai and ancient costumes have become ingrained in cultural life, and have become a typical tourism product of Hue,” emphasized Mr. Hai.