The grace Vietnam’s female farmers bring to the rice fields in their traditional ao ba ba inspired Nguyen Cong Tri’s Collection no.09. The simple, loose polonaise with raglan sleeves, scooped neck lines and padded front pockets evolved to offer some comfort to days filled with toil. Glossy black, deep earth tones and goldenrod yellow provide the hallmarks of this collection, which seeks to highlight Vietnam’s unique Lanh My A silk–a traditional, labor-intensive fabric that gets its color from the mac nua fruit. The difficulty of harvesting the fruit and the months of dip-squeeze-drying have elevated the fabric to a national treasure. Cong Tri made great use of interlacing, weaving, fringing, embroidery, embellishing and appliqué to offer a collection that honors cherished national traditions with a contemporary Western aesthetic.
Creative Director/Photograher: Duc Ngo
Model: Lilly Nguyen
Makeup and Hair: Quang Hien
Fashion: Cong Tri collection no.9