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| Ao dai rental service offers customers more suitable options at affordable prices |
Visiting a small corner of Thanh Cafe in a winter afternoon, we were surprised by an architectural style that harmoniously blends the past and present of Hue. The gate is crafted in the style of porcelain mosaic, shimmering with the colors of royal architecture; the steps leading up to the cafe use ancient, sturdy stones from Thanh Hoa, one of the rarest and most precious types of stone. One entrance is designed in the khanh mon style, shaped like a jade pendant, a piece of jewelry symbolizing royal authority. Round and hexagonal lanterns hang from above, swaying and casting warm golden rays over the quiet space. Bamboo and wooden tables and chairs, seasoned by time, lend the cafe a contemplative atmosphere filled with hidden stories. Additionally, the cafe features a solemn ruong house, once the residence of a provincial mandarin, offering a meaningful sightseeing experience for visitors.
Mr. Duong Cong Thanh, the founder of Thanh Cafe, shared: “From the early days of sketching ideas and collecting antique items, to completing the current space, it has been a journey of patience and cherishing. Each stage has been a step toward maturity, not only for the cafe, but also for myself, in the way I perceive Hue, its memories, and the value of slowness.”
Ms. Yen Trinh (Thuan Hoa Ward) remarked: “I choose to stop for a cup of coffee here because I want to admire a space filled with old things. Every item in the cafe is a familiar “fragment of memory” for Hue people, yet it is vibrant and not out of place in modern life.”
Alongside nostalgic cafes like Mr. Thanh’s, business models associated with traditional costumes are flourishing in Hue. One of the pioneers is Ms. Le Thi My Tien, owner of Hue Ancient Capital Traditional Costumes shop.
Noticing that visitors to Hue often enjoy posing for photos at the Imperial Citadel and royal mausoleums but lack suitable costumes for unique, impressive photos, Ms. Tien developed a rental service for ancient ao dai and modernized ao dai. These costumes allow the wearers to fully immerse themselves in the heritage space, creating a true “living in history” experience.
Beyond meeting photography needs, Ms. Tien’s model contributes to spreading the value of Hue’s traditional costumes, especially the Nguyen Dynasty ao dai - a cultural symbol seeing a resurgence of interest among the youth. Their “time-travel” trend back to feudal dynasties on TikTok has made a mark, featuring ancient and modernized ao dai at historical heritage sites like the Imperial Citadel, temples, and mausoleums.
Diem Huong, a first-year student at the University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University confessed: “I live in Ho Chi Minh City, but I am very curious about and love Hue, so I chose to study here. What interests me is that Hue has many business models full of cultural identity. The ancient costume rental shops make it easy for young people to access and experience heritage at affordable prices.”
In Hue, an increasing number of “cultural-based startup” models are being operated by young people: ruong house cafes, handmade shops, traditional craft shops, and ancient costume photo studios, etc. Although these models are small to medium in scale, they are rich in identity, creating a diverse business market that is both youthful and deeply “Hue”. Leveraging their “youthful energy”, alongside traditional channels, young people skillfully combine them with digital technology platforms to tell their business stories in a vivid and relatable way to the community.
Thanh Cafe continues to move slowly, staying true to the spirit it embraced from the start: a resting place when tired, or in need of silence, people can stop by, sit down, take a sip of coffee, and “listen” to Hue. Meanwhile, Ms. Tien’s Ancient Capital Traditional Costumes shop persistently maintains the rhythm of “selecting” unique ao dai designs that are diverse in style yet consistent in preserving Vietnamese identity. “Recalling the past to understand the future” is gradually becoming the business philosophy of the younger generation - those who are bringing Hue culture into modern life naturally, delicately, and with full vitality.