Lookatvietnam – Designer Minh Hanh’s haute couture tho cam (brocade) collection was selected to represent Vietnamese designers at Alta Roma High Fashion 2009 in Italy on January 31.

Roman holiday: Designs by Minh Hanh will be shown in Rome, Italy next Saturday.

The collection of 36 outfits by Minh Hanh was inspired by the innocence and beauty of ethnic minority girls living in the northwest of Viet Nam.

“The beauty of ethnic girls while they make tho cam inspired me. The young girls make their own fabric by spinning fibre from mountain grass, weaving it with their rudimentary looms by hand,” said Minh Hanh.

“My goal is to use traditional material and the skill of Vietnamese craftsmen to create. I decided to choose tho cam as my trademark style ten years ago,” she said at the press conference.

After it is woven, tho cam is dyed using natural materials. The fabric is then printed using beeswax and it is embroidered with colourful patterns. The embroidered fabric will then be put over a smoking fire for six months, the designer explained.

Because it is handmade, a piece of tho cam fabric is only about 50cm wide, which makes it challenging to use in 3-D designs, she said.

Minh Hanh has shown her designs in Italy twice already, but this is first time she has been invited to attend one of the fashion capital’s major shows.

“When I came to Italy for the first time, I had to show Vietnamese characteristics to the world. The second time, I had to show Vietnamese culture through my collection to convince the Italian fashion world. This time, I want to introduce Vietnamese haute couture and hope it will be accepted by the world’s fashionistas,” said the designer.

Minh Hanh wants to introduce traditional products like tho cam and handmade accessories to European customers.

This year is the 14th edition of Alta Roma High Fashion. Famous Italian fashion houses such as Balestra, Curiel and Sarli will participate along with second-generation Italian stylists and designers like Bilotta, Miglionico and Coretti. The fifth “Who’s on next” project will be scouting talent at the event.

“I believe that the people of the world will be convinced by tho cam,” said Minh Hanh.

Her collection will be shown by Italian and Vietnamese models at 2pm at the 12th century Roman royal palace Santo Spirito.

(Source: Viet Nam News)