Great Vietnam Revives Nguyễn-Era Fashion, Restoring Traditional Costumes

In recent years, ancient Vietnamese costumes have seen a surge in popularity, especially among young people, thanks to the dedicated efforts of designers, brands, and interest groups passionate about preserving the nation's history and traditions. These individuals and organizations are meticulously reproducing and promoting historic fashion from centuries past. Great Vietnam stands out as a key player in this movement. Founded in 2019 and operational since 2020, the group focuses on researching and recreating clothing worn in Vietnam hundreds of years ago. Their historically accurate reproductions have been featured in various art shows and projects, including "The Quintessence of Vietnam" at Grand World Phú Quốc, the photo-video project "VIETNAMESE? REALLY?! – 1000 Years of Vietnamese Fashion" in collaboration with the Vietnam Centre, and an exhibition in Sydney, Australia. The core team behind Great Vietnam comprises young Vietnamese individuals united by their love for culture and creativity. Vũ Đức, 28, and Trương Tuấn Anh, 33, lead the costume design efforts, while Đoàn Thành Lộc, 36, a researcher of Sino-Vietnamese culture, provides expertise on historical accuracy and manages customer feedback. Despite their seemingly unrelated backgrounds in political science and space technology, their shared passion for cổ phục (ancient Vietnamese clothing) brought them together. Members of Great Vietnam recount facing individual challenges in researching ancient clothing, noting that even official sources sometimes provided inaccurate information. This realization spurred them to establish Great Vietnam, aiming to be a reliable source and to correct misconceptions about historic attire. They are particularly concerned about the prevalence of inaccurate replicas in the market and are committed to changing public perception through historically faithful reproductions. Lộc, with over a decade of research on Sino-Vietnamese culture, leverages historical texts from China, South Korea, and Japan to meticulously reconstruct ancient costumes. He challenges the notion that all Chinese historical accounts of Vietnam are inaccurate, emphasizing a scientific method that cross-references domestic records—such as historical texts, pagoda statues, and family trees—with foreign sources. This dual approach ensures a comprehensive and accurate understanding of historical garments. Great Vietnam actively seeks collaboration with artists and cultural practitioners, believing art is a powerful medium for promoting Vietnamese culture through its costumes. They aim to supply ceremonial clothing for large-scale projects like stage performances, films, and festivals, which have the potential to widely showcase authentic traditional culture. The group also serves individual customers, handling the entire production process from design to sewing. In the context of Vietnam's one-party system, the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage can serve to strengthen national identity and foster social cohesion. The revival of ancient costumes can contribute to cultivating patriotism and deepening historical understanding among the populace. Furthermore, as Vietnam experiences continuous economic growth, rising living standards are likely fueling a greater interest in cultural enrichment and self-expression, thus contributing to the ancient costume trend.