The Su That (Truth) National Political Publishing House in collaboration with the Committee for Ethnic Affairs officially launched a Vietnamese-English book titled “A Brilliant Visual Journal - Vietnamese Women’s Ethnic Costumes” by Nguyen Bong Mai” on January 11.
The book is the result of author Mai’s journey across Vietnam to explore the culture, lifestyle, people, and especially the unique characteristics of each ethnic group through their clothing and inspiring stories.
The author of the book has researched and vividly recorded 55 unique outfits, with nearly 1,000 details from encounters with people from 35 ethnic groups, opening up stories about culture, history, and traditions.
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The book vividly depicts 55 unique outfits with nearly 1,000 details on the clothing of women from various ethnic groups in Vietnam. |
Not just a photo book documenting the attire, this book evokes strong emotions by narrating vivid and humane stories about the history, culture, and identity of each ethnic group, all reflected in their unique and intricate clothing.
The outfits are reimagined and designed by a group of Gen Z young people, transporting readers into a vibrant world of clothing from the Mong, Khang, Dao, Tay, Nung, Thai, and other ethnic groups. Each outfit carries its own distinctive features, preserved by the people through intricate patterns, weaving, embroidery, fabric dyeing, printing, and beadwork techniques.
Vietnam is home to 54 ethnic groups, each with its own way of life and unique dress style. Although there has been some "light saturation" in modern times, the distinctiveness of each group remains, and one can easily recognise them by their attire. The traditional costumes of each ethnic group showcase the cultural beauty and unique identity of each region, and together, they form a harmonious portrayal of the cultural richness and depth of Vietnam's 54 ethnic communities.
