“Fashion Designers” of the highlands

Inspired by her mother’s traditional brocade

On the Di Linh Plateau, a young K’ho woman gazes warmly at the garments she has created. Nearby, mannequins dressed in brocade wedding gowns and tailored vests appear transformed, their once plain forms brought to life by shimmering beads, silver ornaments, sequins, and intricate ethnic patterns.

Ka Hoan recalls that her mother once traveled from village to village trading brocade fabrics. Customers would have their measurements taken before having traditional outfits sewn by local tailors. The income from those garments helped support her family and inspired her to pursue sewing and fashion design in her own village.

“I learned sewing and brocade design to honor my mother and preserve the beautiful values passed down by our ancestors,” Ka Hoan says. “Beauty in every detail, every line, and every pattern is the dream I continue to pursue.”

Each custom-made brocade wedding dress created by Ka Hoan and her team takes about a week to complete, from sketching initial designs and tailoring to decorating with beads and sequins. Traditional menswear and brocade vests can usually be finished within a few days, while more modern designs require additional time and materials.

Born in 1992, Ka Hoan has used technology and online learning to expand her sewing and fashion design skills, blending traditional brocade with contemporary styles. Her creations are now sought after not only by local ethnic communities but also by visitors traveling to the Di Linh Plateau.

For many local residents like K’Tuyen, modernized brocade outfits help preserve ethnic identity while fitting today’s fashion trends. Brocade vests and traditionally inspired clothing have become popular choices for festivals, weddings, and community celebrations.

In the southern Central Highlands, young artisans are giving traditional brocade new life, combining cultural heritage with modern fashion to keep these traditions alive for future generations.

Preserving tradition through modern fashion

As modern lifestyles and wedding trends continue to evolve, K’ho and Ma communities in the southern Central Highlands are still preserving their traditional cultural identity through brocade clothing. For many couples, brocade wedding outfits remain an essential part of their special day.

In Loc Tan, now part of Bao Loc’s Ward 2, brocade fashion has become increasingly popular in wedding photography and ceremonies. Local photographer Huynh Sang says traditional brocade dresses and suits bring a unique cultural charm to every wedding photo, with intricate ethnic patterns creating striking visual highlights.

Among the artisans helping drive this trend is K’Duan, a local designer known for his brocade wedding dresses and tailored vests. According to him, demand for custom-made brocade outfits continues to grow in areas with large ethnic minority communities. Some couples commission outfits as keepsakes for their weddings, while others rent them for photo shoots and ceremonies.

K’Duan says traditional brocade is already beautiful on its own, but transforming it into elaborate wedding dresses makes it even more striking. Along with his team, he designs brocade wedding outfits not only for the K’ho and Ma communities, but also with inspiration drawn from the traditional costumes of many ethnic groups across Vietnam. Through these creations, he hopes to preserve cultural heritage while bringing traditional fashion closer to younger generations.

In Loc Tan, more than 20 women in a traditional brocade weaving group are now learning tailoring and fashion design skills so they can create products for customers on their own. The initiative is opening up new job opportunities while building a complete process from weaving and tailoring to finished fashion products.

According to local artisans, brocade wedding dresses typically cost between VND 1.5 million and 3 million, while modern-style brocade vests range from VND 500,000 to 1.5 million, depending on materials and design details.

Local cultural officials say the creativity and adaptability of young designers are helping revive traditional brocade craftsmanship. By blending ethnic identity with modern fashion trends, they are preserving cultural values while promoting the image of the people and landscapes of the southern Central Highlands.