Amid the flow of visitors experiencing the Ancient Capital, the image of Mr. Nguyen Don Long - a male tour guide (born in 1986) wearing the traditional ao dai - quietly tells the story of love for culture, spreading traditional values in a distinct Hue way.

Kicking off Hue Ao Dai Week 2026, scheduled to take place from July 3 to 10, is the event “Ao dai Connecting Tourism and Heritage”, which will be held on the morning of July 3 at the Quoc Tu Giam area.

Amid the rhythm of modern life, as fashion becomes increasingly diverse and is constantly changing, the traditional ao-dai continues to remain a lasting presence in the lives of women in the former imperial capital. In Hue, the graceful image of women’s association members wearing Ao-dai is not only a symbol of beauty but also a way of preserving and spreading the traditional cultural values of their homeland.

I visited An Dinh Palace on a warm, sunny early spring day. Not counting the respectful foreign visitors pausing before each artifact, I figured that among the more than 20 young people bustling about in ao-dai, with flowers, striking various poses for photos, few knew that they were standing very close to the remnants of a famous theater from the end of the Nguyen Dynasty that has now completely disappeared: Cuu Tu Dai.

Young designer Linda Hoang (born Hoang Kim Ngoc Uyen Nhi in 1992 in Hue City) is transforming the traditional ao dai by bringing dragon-horse patterns and royal court motifs to linen garments and modern fashion. ​

In the days leading up to the Mid-Autumn Festival, the children in my neighborhood have been joyfully practicing. Calling it a “unicorn dance troupe” sounds grand, but in fact, it’s just about a dozen kids from grades 1 to 7. One contributes an old drum, another brings a unicorn head or a Mr. Earth mask, while some dig through closets for their mothers’ Ao dai, … all gathered together to form an eager, lively team of little unicorn dancers.

Together with the Huong River - Ngu Mountain, the conical hat and the purple ao dai of Hue Women are also a symbolic cultural combo that is deeply connected with the locals in the Ancient Capital. And the poet Bui Giang once “fell in love”: The poetic conical hat / Taking you to Hue City / Sunshine pierces the rim / Revealing the soul of homeland in poetry… (Taking you to the city).

In 2020, when male officials and civil servants of the Department of Culture and Sports wore ao dai during working days and the weekly flag-raising ceremony, it immediately sparked controversy online. Then, it was not just the cultural sector, at important events, the provincial leaders (now Hue City) and intellectuals also began wearing ao dai. The appearance of the traditional ao dai for both men and women at cultural and educational events made the ceremonies more solemn, elegant, and impressive.

The “Ao Dai and Music” art show, held on the stage along the banks of the Perfume River on the evening of June 20th, marked the closing of the 2025 Hue Community Ao Dai Week. The event unfolded in a space rich in identity, emotion, and deep affection for Ao dai Vietnam.

On June 11, Hue City Library held an exhibition displaying the works from the children’s drawing contest under the theme “Ao dai and Childhood”.

This beauty has also blended with many other factors to contribute to the recognition of Ao dai as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage under the name “Knowledge of Tailoring and Wearing Hue Ao dai”. Hue locals in general and Hue women in particular have the right to hope that one day in the near future, Hue Ao dai will be recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In the poetic space of the Song Huong Theater, the "Linh Phung" (Phoenix) Ao dai festival night, part of the autumn festival of the Hue Festival 2024, left a beautiful impression on the locals and tourists.

Hue Community Ao Dai Week 2024 with a series of activities and events last June has contributed to promoting culture, attracting tourism, and socio-economic development.