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| Foreign tourists showing interest in locally inspired handicrafts |
Ms. Lan shared that she learned about G-Dragon wearing her design from a friend. What seemed like a coincidence became a turning point in communications for Maries brand, which had quietly persisted with passion for five years.
Not long afterward, Huynh Hoang Huy, leader of the rock band District 105 in Ho Chi Minh City, contacted Ms. Lan to order four hats for the band’s performance at Ieperfest (Ieper Hardcore Fest), one of Europe’s most prestigious rock festivals in Belgium. Knowing that District 105 was the first rock band from Vietnam - and indeed from all of Southeast Asia - to perform at this long-standing, renowned festival, Maries decided not to sell the hats but instead gifted them as a gesture of cultural support.
The image of G-Dragon wearing the dragon-painted conical hat not only “went viral” online but also stood as evidence of Maries’ persistent journey: from a post-flood project to a local business vision that combines handicrafts with art while honoring traditional values. The gift to District 105 at Ieperfest further spreads Vietnamese culture in general, and Hue culture in particular, to the world, true to Maries’ style: quiet yet deeply committed.
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| The Bang grass (Lepironia articulata) hat in the skilled hands of artisans |
Maries Co., Ltd. was officially established on April 19th, 2021, under the leadership of Ms. Ho Thi Suong Lan, with around 30 staff at its start. In reality, its operations began in 2020, when Lan, with over 15 years of experience in tourism at the time, witnessed the aftermath of severe flooding in Hue. During a relief effort, she realized she wanted to help local people in a way that went beyond food aid: by creating sustainable livelihoods so they could support themselves after disasters.
With that determination, she came to Pho Trach Village in Phong Dien (now part of Hue City), a place with a tradition of cultivating and using Bang grass (Lepironia articulata), a durable and easily grown material. By combining traditional materials, craft techniques, and modern painting, Maries produced unique items such as conical hats, wallets, handbags, and hats. Ms. Lan sourced raw materials herself and organized free training for local women and youth to produce semi-finished goods, which were later completed with acrylic art and 3D painting.
At a time when many pursue mass consumer products, Ms. Lan worried that local crafts would fade away. She chose to develop Maries based on a model of “production rooted in craft and locality”, focusing first on the domestic market with a long-term plan for exports. To her, Vietnamese people deserve high-quality handicrafts, and only when the domestic market values them will these products have a foundation to reach the world.
For Ms. Lan, this is more than building a business. It is a journey of “exporting culture in place”. Tourists in Hue do not just buy souvenirs, they take home a story and an identity. Thus, Maries does not compete in low-cost goods like many traditional craft villages, but instead invests in quality, selling fewer products at fair value so that handicraft traditions are respected and preserved.
One major challenge is that local weaving techniques remain simple and lack creative flair, leaving products without distinctive highlights. Maries addressed this by incorporating art into production. Motifs such as Ly Dynasty dragons, Hue-inspired patterns, and 3D color effects made the products stand out. This creativity was possible because Lan inspired a spirit of innovation in her young team, channeling creativity to make up for traditional technical limitations.
Ms. Ho Thi Suong Lan and Maries have proven that elevating local heritage does not require large scale but rather requires raising the value of what is already at hand. From Bang grass, from local artisans, and from fresh artistic expression, Maries creates products imbued with the soul of Hue yet dressed in a modern layer, allowing Hue culture to travel far without losing its essence.