Ao Dai Fashion Week London 2026: Bringing Vietnam's cultural symbol into the global fashion flow
WVR - The Ao Dai Fashion Week London 2026 project officially launched to the public and media, marking a new effort in the journey to introduce the ao dai into the international dialogue space through fashion, creativity, and cultural diplomacy.
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With the message “A Runway of Heritage, A Future of Style”, the program aims to showcase the Vietnamese Ao Dai within the framework of London Fashion Week, while building an ecosystem connecting culture – community – creativity – commerce between Vietnam and the world.
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| The launch event in Hanoi on February 3. (Source: BTC) |
The project is supported by the Vietnamese Embassy in the United Kingdom, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, along with the collaboration of many Vietnamese community organizations and reputable partners in Europe.
This is considered a large-scale cultural diplomacy initiative, bringing together designers, artisans, artists, media experts, and the overseas Vietnamese community.
According to the organizers, Ao Dai Fashion Week London 2026 will take place from September 19-21 in London. For the first time, the Vietnamese áo dài will be systematically introduced through collections by Vietnamese designers on a professional international fashion stage, set within the official space of London Fashion Week.
Beyond the shows, the program is designed as a series of interconnected activities, where fashion becomes the starting point for cultural connections.
Alongside the runway are áo dài parades at historical landmarks in London, aiming to honor the áo dài as a living heritage while affirming the adaptability of traditional Vietnamese attire in a contemporary context.
Simultaneously, the traditional Vietnamese craft exhibition space will showcase representative materials and products such as silk, brocade, ceramics, folk paintings, handcrafted jewelry, conical hats, and eco-friendly products.
The organizers plan to hold live crafting demonstrations, allowing the international public to access the cultural depth and craftsmanship behind each product.
Vietnamese cuisine is also an important part of the overall experience, featuring familiar dishes like pho, spring rolls, banh mi, and many specialty dishes, contributing to creating a complete Vietnamese cultural space right in the heart of London.
Nguyen Viet Trieu, President of the Vietnamese Women's Union in Europe, believes London is a special space to initiate internationally significant cultural initiatives: “London is a convergence of many generations of young Vietnamese who are well-trained domestically and have matured in a global educational environment. This intersection creates a force capable of becoming cultural bridges and international cooperation in the future.”
According to her, bringing the áo dài to the international stage is also a way to tell Vietnam's story through modern artistic language, demonstrating the solidarity of the global Vietnamese community in promoting the country's image.
From a cultural management perspective, NSND Vuong Duy Bien, President of the Vietnam Cultural Industry Development Association, considers the project an encouraging model, where heritage is placed in relation to innovation and the international market.
He believes that bringing the ao dai runway to London not only holds artistic significance but also contributes to promoting Vietnam–UK cultural diplomacy, affirming Vietnam's confidence in bringing its heritage into the center of global dialogue.
Pham Thi Kim Hoa, Deputy Head of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, also affirmed the community connection significance, spreading national identity through cultural initiatives abroad, and highly appreciated the coordination spirit among community organizations, designers, and media teams in bringing the áo dài heritage to the world.
Sharing from a professional perspective, Eminent Artisan – Designer Le Thi Lan Huong believes that the Ao dai is not only beautiful in form but also in technique, in the hands of craftsmen, and in the perseverance of traditional craftsmanship values.
Meanwhile, Designer Hoang Ly, President of the Vietnamese Ao dai Culture Club, emphasized that the designers participating in the project are not only showcasing collections but also collectively telling a common story about Vietnamese identity in modern fashion language.
In the long term, the organizers aim to build Ao Dai Fashion Week into an international brand, with upcoming destinations like Paris and Milan, contributing to making this attire a creative cultural symbol of Vietnam on the global fashion map.
