Today, Ao Dai has been approached and responded to by young people, but as Prof. That Thai Kim Lan said it is still an "early love", not yet with full commitment.
Optimistic signal
According to Prof. Thai Kim Lan, it isn't easy to define the love of Ao Dai. However, according to her observations, in recent years, apart from the efforts of the cultural industry, the movement of wearing Ao Dai among young people has returned. Young people are still on the way to learning about Ao Dai, because with them, the costume has changed over time, through different eras.
"Young people today are different from our generation in the past," Prof. Lan acknowledged. In her generation, the Ao Dai was the identity, but today there are many beautiful fashion trends and every young person wants to be beautiful. Therefore, the story of "reviving" Ao Dai among young people is not as exciting as hoped, but the comeback is also full of optimism.
“I still believe that when choosing Ao Dai, young people are aware that it is close to them and that they will love it, as the late musician Trinh Cong Son once wrote: "Love is like loving a shirt, getting used to a sweet scent," said Prof. Lan hopefully.
The image of young people wearing traditional Ao Dai on the street is very charming
In recent years, it has become more and more popular for young people to love and wear the five-panel dress - the predecessor of the later Ao Dai. Together they share knowledge, materials, tailors... in many social networking forums, seminars and exchanges. Ao Dai is also worn by young people and appears at many holiday events and cultural attractions.
Ton That Minh Khoi - a young Hue man born and raised in the South, said that no matter where he was born, how his voice has changed, he is always confident with his character and spirit following his father's footsteps. It is always feeling happy and proud when wearing a five-panel Ao Dai. He strongly agrees with the idea of innovating the traditional Ao Dai, but according to this young man, it needs to be a creative transformation built upon the existing foundation.
"More importantly, there needs to be an orientation of the previous generation, which plays a very important role in building trust as well as inspiration," Khoi shared.
Helping young people better understand the Ao Dai
Sharing with young people about promoting values, Nguyen Xuan Hoa, a researcher, said that in order for Ao Dai to exist in modern life as well as in all aspects, it is necessary to note 3 points. The first is to keep the soul of the traditional Ao Dai, thereby promoting the aesthetic beauty and historical value, so that young people can better understand the Ao Dai. Secondly, it must be organized so that Ao Dai adapts to the times from materials to tailoring techniques, which designers and fashion lovers must be most aware of.
Finally, at the macro level of the country, there needs to be a strategy to revive the national culture; then, Ao Dai and many other good traditional cultural values of our ancestors will be restored. "And I believe young people will be the pioneers to revive the country's traditional values," said Mr. Hoa.
Emphasizing further the trend and harmony between traditional and modern elements, Prof. Thai Kin Lan hopes that the youth have freedom and creativity. Each individual, when engaging with fashion, should have their own sense of aesthetics, which allows them to harmonize with the attire they are wearing.
Prof. Lan believes that besides academic education, skill-based education is equally crucial. When thinking about Ao Dai, the tailoring profession plays a significant role in enhancing the beauty of the dress. In the past, tailoring was not merely a profession but also an art, helping people appreciate the aesthetics of fabrics, stitching lines, and the dedication required to create timeless products. Therefore, in the modern world with advancements in science and technology, preserving and integrating tailoring into the educational curriculum is essential, as it is a science in itself.
Mr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, stated that the project "Hue – The Capital of Ao Dai" is an idea that has existed for a long time, and inherited ideas from previous generations. The objective is to bring Ao Dai back to life, reviving and promoting its essence. According to Mr. Hai, through various significant events like the Hue Festival, the Ao Dai has been widely promoted.
"However, we believe it shouldn't be limited to the stage and women alone; instead, we must find ways to make it even better and reach the community, especially the younger generation," Mr. Hai said. He also expressed his joy in seeing the enthusiastic response from young people in implementing the project. This response has encouraged and motivated those involved in spreading the beauty of the Ao Dai far and wide.