From the beginning of December of the lunar calendar, the Ao Dai market has become bustling early. Many people choose to rent traditional Ao Dai to join the "race" of check-in to welcome the Lunar New Year.
As peach branches are coming to the streets more and more crowded, many people have taken advantage of the time to buy themselves a satisfactory ao dai. However, instead of spending 3-4 million VND to own a custom-made ao dai or a distinctive design, it is not a priority for many people. This reflects a change in consumer shopping habits.
Ms. Do Lan Huong (Thanh Xuan ward, Hanoi) takes advantage of her little time after work to admire the streets and choose a suitable ao dai for herself.
I often go directly to the store to find and try on Ao Dai. Although I have also reviewed the designs and products this year, most of the prices are quite high. Ao dai should be tried right at the store to see the shape and color, once I bought online but had to return it, so this year I learned from experience" - Ms. Huong said.
Trying many designs and colors, Ms. Huong and her 2 daughters decided to spend money on the 3 most suitable outfits. Ms. Huong said that the time to admire and try on it takes about 2 hours, the price is quite soft compared to buying designs or ordering sewing, so I only care if I am satisfied or not.
The result of today's "living in velvet and silk" session cost 3.5 million VND for 3 sets of ao dai. The price is quite reasonable because ao dai are only worn when there is an opportunity, not used often" - Ms. Huong said with a smile.
Similarly, Ms. Vu Huong Giang (Hai Ba Trung ward, Hanoi) went shopping for ao dai to wear for Tet for herself and her 2 children - said: "My 2 friends are still quite young, a nephew and a niece, so the selection criteria are soft fabric, reasonable price, diverse designs. The young children are also very excited to go with their mothers to choose ao dai".
According to Ms. Giang, this year the trend of wearing ao dai is more vibrant and bustling than in previous years. From young children to the elderly, no longer only wear ao dai on important days, holidays, Tet, and on days of the year if there is an opportunity, everyone also chooses traditional ao dai. Ms. Giang also wants the whole family to immerse themselves and return to the unique cultural features of the nation.
Sharing with reporters, Ms. Vu Mai Khuyen - an employee of a tailor shop selling ready-made ao dai on Nguyen Trai street said that this year, although the demand for displaying ao dai is high, the number of customers "closing orders" is still quite modest.
Most customers prioritize products with mid-range prices or daily rentals for optimization. The store has applied a discount policy of up to 50% early to attract buyers" - Ms. Khuyen commented.
Meanwhile, with many customers like Ms. Tran Khanh Linh (Viet Tri, Phu Tho) said that she herself wants to buy a new ao dai set to make Tet more bustling, but price and conditions are still factors that cannot be ignored.
Ms. Linh said that to save time and effort, she carefully selected on e-commerce platforms and ordered early.
Many genuine silk ao dai models in domestic or specialized clothing brands often have quite expensive prices. Prices sometimes also include brand names and operating costs, uniqueness. I buy on e-commerce platforms at much softer prices, suitable for my own needs" - Ms. Linh expressed.
