“Knight of Art & Literature” Minh Hanh

In 1997, it was the first time a Vietnamese designer had displayed her fashion collection “Truyen Thong va Tuong lai” (Tradition and Future) to Japanese in Kizomizu-Dera Temple, where there has never been any fashion show.


In 1999, it was the first time a Vietnamese designer, the only Asia representative, was invited to take part in the Big Q international fashion show with internationally famous designers.


It is the first time a Vietnamese designer displays her fashion collection entitled “Rong va Buom” (Dragon and Butterfly) on June 21 in Italy, the world's fashion kingdom.


She is also the first Vietnamese designer who was conferred the “Knight of Art and Literature” award by the French Government for her contribution to promoting Franco-Vietnam cultural cooperation, particularly in fashion, in June.


She is Minh Hanh, a Vietnamese fashion designer with so many special things, prizes and awards.

Who is she?

Charming and lovable, she is an unforgettable woman with a soft voice and wide eyes. Hidden behind her beautiful eyes are her strong personality, determination and intelligence. I met that small woman in a hand-embroiderd flowered shirt, silk black trousers and her bare foot at her office when she is busy with her model team for her collection “Rong va Buom” (Dragon and Butterfly), including 60 designs for the show in the famous fashion center Palazzo Valetini in Italy.

She is Minh Hanh, director of the Viet Nam Fashion Design Institute (Fadin). She smiled, saying that she lost some weight and was sunburned because of the recent Festival Hue; last night she again stayed up late for preparation.

Born in the province of Pleiku in South Viet Nam, she got used to colorful dress of ethnic minority girls.

Graduating from Arts University, she worked for Tuoi Tre (Youth), Nguoi Lao Dong (Labor) and Phu Nu (Women) newspapers for 12 years. Then she was invited to work for Legamex State Company in 1994.

Performances abroad

Ms. Hanh became the first Vietnamese to win an international fashion award when her two designs featuring tho cam (brocade) ao dai won the New Designer Award in the Asia Collection of the Makuhari Grand Prix in September, 1997 in Japan.

She saw the way for Vietnamese fashion to integrate with the world. Considered as the most special designer, she was invited by the organizer to introduce 100 designs in the collection “Truyen Thong va Tuong Lai” (Tradition and Future) at the Kizomizu-Dera Temple, where none including famous Japanese designers has been allowed to display their collections.

The attraction of the photo exhibition of Minh Hanh’s fashion design made by the world leading photographer Christoph Siegert at the World Cultural House in Berlin led her to Big Q, an imposing international fashion performance in Germany.

This was the first time a Vietnamese designer and the only Asian representative took part in an international fashion display together with other world-famous designers.

Interest in ao dai

Designing ao dai is her interest; she spent all her time for ao dai and introduced it in different cultures.

Ao dai’s secret and traditional beauty is a “non-verbal language”, she said. “Designers should understand the culture of the country where they will introduce their collection”. That is her explanation for her success.

In her point of view, fashion means creativity, which is everlasting. To create the new things, fashion designers must make themselves new everyday.

As a pioneer in fashion design in Viet Nam, she often “design” fashion competitions to look for and train a young generation of designers, namely Quoc Binh, Le Anh Khoa, Dieu Anh.

Minh Hanh felt surprised when the French Minister of Culture and Information sent her a letter to announce the French Government’s decision to extend to her the title of Knight of Arts and Literature.

The relation between Vietnamese and French fashion happened as she wanted to develop the Vietnamese fashion; she sought scholarships for the young Vietnamese designers to come to France for study and invited the French Fashion institute lecturers to teach designing in Viet Nam through cooperation programmes with the Institute.

Ms. Eliane Nguyen, Press Ataché of French Consulate in Viet Nam said that the consulate will hold an award ceremony in early July in Ha Noi.

Source : TT - Translated by Uyen Phuong