Designers roll out the finery


The colours of summer have have been on view at the May Collections fashion show featuring works of young designers at a HCM City fashion boutique.


Stunning: Miss Viet Nam 2008 Thuy Dung in a creation by Bich Ha of Viet Thang Co. (Photo: VNS)
Around 200 people were in attendance at the Viet Nam Designers House on Wednesday to see 100 dresses in light grey and white (representing clouds), blue, yellow (sun), and red (hibiscus flower) worn by famous models from Ha Noi and HCM City.

Miss Viet Nam 2008 Thuy Dung, Miss Beach 2008 Lam Thu Hang, and Miss Viet Nam 2010 finalist Thu Ha were among those who modelled.

Le Thanh Hoa brought to the show long bare-backed evening dresses, short straight dresses with ruffles down the length of the dress, and crepe with organza ruffle and waist.

Bao Kim's clothes were lighter, featuring simple creations predominantly in white and bright colours.

The highlight of the show was the impressive scorching red collection of Group F8 designers Gia Hue, Minh Chau, Cong Huan, and Quang Nhat.

Van Khoa and Bich Ha of Viet Thang Corporation brought their latest and boldest creations for both men and women.

They had also displayed their collection at the Bangkok International Fashion Fair last month and received good reviews.

The collections displayed at the event will be sold at the outlet.

Viet Mode Co Ltd opened Viet Nam Designers House in HCM City last August after opening in Ha Noi in 2009.


Discovering world music with Sophia Charai


Moroccan-French singer Sophia Charai will perform a selection of songs from her Pichu album at L'Espace (French Cultural Centre), 24 Trang Tien Street, on May 12.

Sophia's musical style has been greatly influenced by her travels through Morocco, where she was born and grew up, France, where she studied and India, where she was first exposed to gypsy culture.

During her performance Sophia will sing in Darija (Moroccan Arabic), Arabic and French and play the accordion, the banjo, the gypsy jazz guitar as well as the contrabass.


Asia Foundation helps train Vietnam’s librarians


The US-based Asia Foundation in collaboration with the National Library of Vietnam on Thursday launched a 2-day training course for 50 librarians in Ho Chi Minh City.

The course, which took place at the HCMC General Sciences Library, provided training to staffs from the local libraries where the foundation donated books.

Started in 1954, the foundation’s program “Books for Asia” has provide over 45 million books, software programs, and other educational materials to 50,000 learning institutions in 40 countries.

The program’s goal is to help Asians sharpen their English-language, vocational and research skills, build knowledge in business, legal, and science professions, as well as

cultivate an early love of reading in children throughout the continent.


Nguyen Minh Nhu Anh crowned Miss Soc Trang 2011


Nguyen Minh Nhu Anh from Can Tho Ciy was named Miss Soc Trang 2011 on Tuesday night in the Mekong Delta province.

Anh was awarded VND15 million with first runner-up Lam Ngoc Tram from Can Tho receiving VND10 million, second runner-up Tran Thi Thuy Tien from Soc Trang netted VND8 million. The judging panel also awarded 12 other prizes including best ao dai (traditional Vietnamese long dress), best ao ba ba (a shirt worn by South Vietnamese people), best body, best answer, best eyes and best style.

The coronation evening had 11 finalists from provinces in the Mekong Delta. The stunning girls wore ao ba ba, ao dai, swimwear and their own costumes and took part in a Q&A session.


VNN/VOV/VNS