Nam Tuyen’s collection, Heritage Colors of the City, was recently showcased at the announcement ceremony for newly ranked Historical-Cultural Monuments at the Ton Duc Thang Museum, in celebration of the 19th Vietnamese Cultural Heritage Day.

As the head of the Ao Dai Cultural Heritage Association in Ho Chi Minh City, Nam Tuyen remarked: “This is a tremendous honor, and it reminds me of my responsibility to spread the love for the five-panel Ao Dai to more people.”

Each design in the collection blends traditional values with modern touches. Materials like Ma Chau silk (from Quang Nam), Nha Xa silk (from Duy Tien), and lightweight woven linen were skillfully crafted by artisans to create comfortable five-panel Ao Dai outfits.

The collection features warm, earthy tones as the primary color palette, balanced with vibrant hues that evoke the energy of a dynamic city - symbolizing a harmonious fusion of past and present.

While some pieces showcase simple, solid colors, others incorporate intricate embroidery inspired by Hue’s royal court, transporting wearers to the opulent fashion of the Nguyen dynasty.

Contemporary patterns have also been thoughtfully integrated, symbolizing the vibrant continuity of the five-panel Ao Dai’s timeless values in modern life.

Nam Tuyen has over 30 years of experience in tailoring. In 2019, he began researching the five-panel Ao Dai and established a brand bearing his name.

In 2020, he debuted his first five-panel Ao Dai collection in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. For Nam Tuyen, designing Ao Dai is both a responsibility and a way to express gratitude to his craft and Vietnamese culture.

“I aspire to make the five-panel Ao Dai more accessible to the public. I continuously explore and refine tailoring techniques to perfect the garment while addressing challenges posed by various fabrics,” he shared.

Nam Tuyen preserves the original essence of the five-panel Ao Dai worn by ancestors centuries ago - simple yet refined, with meticulous details, precise tailoring, and masterful color coordination.

For men’s designs, the focus remains on simplicity, emphasizing tradition while ensuring versatility in contemporary settings.