Street Style Vietnam: Dao Chic

The cliche of hair being one's "crowning glory" makes sense in certain cultures.  I discovered the Black Dao tribe on an excursion to the Binh Lu Market of Vietnam.  While their actual clothing was more simple compared to the brilliant Flower Hmong, their hair was off the hook.

Their signature look was all about accessories.  The head was covered in an elaboration composition of braided pieces, crowned in an intricate tooled silver structure.  They wore simple black tunics with pop color collared shirts that peeked out from their basic black.  The identifying "statement necklace" was a jeweled or beaded pendant from which very long strands of neon ribbon fringe would hang.  The ladies at this market were definitely a friendly and outgoing bunch who loved to pose and laugh.

The Red Dzao tribe of ladies I met near Sapa, Vietnam.  A large group of them appointed themselves the entourage to my family's trek through the countryside.  They carried huge baskets that contained their own mobile boutique of hand-embroidered crafts (which they worked on during the trek).

Their signature look was the red fabric wrap on their heads, embellished with beads, fringe or coins in the back.  Their embroidery colors had more yellows and reds.  They favored more nature-inspired motifs like trees and leaves in their clothing.

This group shaved their eyebrows and the front of their hair.  I'm not sure what their beauty regimen was, but these ladies had some of the best skin I have ever seen.  Perhaps they found the misty mountain hair is more effective than a chemical peel and Clarisonic could ever hope to be?

Photos by Mariana Leung

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Street Style Vietnam - Hmong Fashion

My trip-of-a-lifetime to Vietnam yielded wonderful experiences with the hill tribes of Northern Vietnam.  The amazing thing about meeting these women from rural communities was their elaborate clothing.  The Hmong tribes are one of the biggest groups in the area and are further broken down into groups like the Black Hmong, White Hmong, Flower Hmong, Striped Hmong, etc.

The Flower Hmong are famous for the colorful embroidered garb that they wear.  The color combinations that I saw were gorgeously complementary. There were combinations of neon, sorbet colors, violet and blues... Many included beaded fringe along the shoulder and chest.  Some had head wraps of colorful tartan.  The colors were so bright, I can’t imagine some of them existed hundreds of years ago as the history of their clothing suggests. The image of these elaborately dressed women were particularly striking when you saw them coming toward you through the mud, rain and mountain sized animal droppings on the road in their pristine outfits.

Embroidery is a skill passed down through the female elders to daughters and younger females.  It is an essential marketable skill where they create handicrafts to sell or make clothes for their families

The Black Hmong group is identified by the deep black indigo-dyed base fabric of their costumes; usually made of natural hemp.  They are often embroidered with red, purple, blue, white, green trims and hand embroidery with knotted motifs.  Elements of their look include leg wraps, coat, an embroidered apron type

piece at the front and back, embroidered arm embellishments and tied back hair or hat. 

Many families live in homes without electricity in farm communities. However, a lot of the women who worked as guides or vendors had the latest phones (plus accessories).  Inside their traditional jackets, I observed many of the Hmong women sporting the latest pop culture tees or bedazzled with fashionable studs. I also loved the bright wellies on this group above during a rainy day.

I saw women with intricately carved silver earrings and necklaces.  Unlike embroidery or weaving, jewelry is a craft dominated by men.  The men hand-tool or hammer out the patterns onto the metal.

A signature piece of jewelry for the Black Hmong is a large carved silver hoop around their neck that often has multiple silver chains dangling from it.  Jewelry is often a wedding gift or family gift for significant locations.  How is that for a statement necklace?

Photos by Mariana Leung

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Shopping in Hanoi: Metiseko

Like the cuisine, the best shopping Hanoi can be found in the fusion of French flavors and Vietnamese handiwork.  Metiseko is a popular destination for chic women's and children's fashion and home decor.    With the stress on the "eko" (eco) part of the collection, the brand features organic and sustainable silks and cottons in their products.

Creative director Florence Mussou designs the collection with the lifestyle of the world traveller as muse.  She herself is French and studied art before journeying to Vietnam.  The pretty prints are stylized graphic interpretations of traditional Vietnamese motifs like dragonflies, lotus leaves and rice.  The goods are environmentally friendly and have a relaxed, happy vibe.

Visiting the Hanoi shop itself was a little oasis from the chaos of mopeds and over stimulation outside.  Situated on Hang Gai, the street of silk, the store staff were all chatty and friendly with a love of the collection.  The boutique is having a party later this week and promotes a wellness lifestyle I think we could all benefit from.

If you can't travel to Hanoi, shop from Metiseko online.

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Shopping in Hanoi: Ipa Nima Handbags

Yes I am BACK from my epic trip to Vietnam.  Ipa Nima Handbags  was one of my favorite finds in my shopping excursions through Hanoi.  Christina Yu's celebrated accessories label has its own boutique, but was also carried in the top galleries and upscale stores around the country.

The purses caught my attention for their unique embellishments (you know I am a sucker for that).  They had a wonderful mix of embroidery, applique and creative manipulations of materials.  The color sense was fun and sophisticated.  The motifs were fun, but not cloyingly cute.

Christina Yu was a former fashion editor who was driven to create her brand after being inspired by the work of local artisans.  The company commits to working with smaller, family owned manufacturers in Vietnam for the collection.  I am a bigger fan of the designer's participation in  an organization called KOTO "Know One Teach One" that trains and employs disadvantaged youth, orphans and young people with chronic disabilities.

Ipa Nima already has international fans like Cate Blanchett, Maggie Cheung and the Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.  Now let's get these bags into New York City too.

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