The person who brought that transformation was Dang Phuong Thao (born in 1999, from Khanh Hoa), a young girl who dared to "break the way" to preserve heritage with the creative language of the new generation.
Young hands are weaving back the beauty of the past
In a small room in the suburbs of Nha Trang, the sound of fabric pulling and the occasional smell of dried bamboo in the wind blends into a manual music. Between the soft silk coil and the patterned glue, the workers worked hard on the hat frame, gently moving each line with their hands. Each hat is a story, where traditional conical hats and contemporary fashion meet in a delicate intersection.
I want the conical hat not only to be in the memories of the mothers and mothers, but also in the wardrobe of the mother daughter - our young generation - Thao said with pride.
The journey to create a brocade hat starts from thin, curved bamboo sticks, ensuring flexibility and durability. Then, instead of the familiar palm leaf layer, Thao used silk silk or hand-embroidered brocade to press the heat on many layers to keep the sticky and natural shine. The embossed carpets are embossed with gold, with additional patterns of simple flowers, styleful thorns or lotus flowers, the small details make the hat both luxurious and very Vietnamese.
Each finished product can take 3 to 5 days, depending on the complexity of the pattern. "Soft silk, thick ham, each material has its own personality. Making a hat is like being friends with each fabric, you have to understand its personality to make it listen to you, Thao shared.
Her hats are not only sun protection but also a work of manual art, where the hands of young craftsmen convey passion and the desire to renew traditions. Many young people call Thao's products "Vietnamese fashion hats" because of the combination of folk charm and the fresh spirit of young people.
When breaking the way is the way to extend the heritage
The idea of the brocade silk hat came to Thao after a trip to Hue in 2022. Among hundreds of craft booths in the festival, she realized that conical hats - the symbol of Vietnam - are less noticed by young people.
I see that you like Western items because conical hats are considered old. At that time, I wondered: Why didn't I make it more recent so that they could fall in love again?", Thao said.
From that question, she began a patient experimental journey: Mixing colors, squeezing silk, embroidering flowers, sticking brocade... Initially, the hat was prone to wrinkles, deformation and fading. But the failure did not discourage Thao.
"Every time my hat breaks, I learn something new. Gradually I found a balance between tradition and creativity so that the hat is still a Vietnamese hat but has a modern feel, Thao confided.
Not stopping at personal creativity, Thao founded the Saigon La brand to be able to bring her products to more customers. In addition, Thao also organizes workshops to guide students and foreign tourists to make handmade hats. Those experiences attracted a large number of young people.
When you make a hat yourself, you understand that each line and each fold contains the soul of the nation. That is the way I want to spread the love of Vietnamese culture through actions, not just words, Thao shared.
Currently, her brocade hats have been sold at a number of souvenir shops and e-commerce platforms. Many foreign tourists especially love it for its classic and sophisticated beauty. Thao also agreed to cooperate with young domestic designers to bring brocade hats to fashion collections.
She dreams of one day, the image of the Vietnamese hat will appear in international cultural events, not only as a traditional symbol but also a creative declaration of the young generation of Vietnam.
Kicking it is not keeping it. I break the way to keep the heritage alive, to be seen and loved by today's young people and friends around the world, Thao firmly affirmed.
In the midst of a pressing life, Dang Phuong Thao's story is proof that sometimes, with just a skillful hand and a heart that loves culture, young people can completely revive their old values in their own way. From that small brocade hat, a new journey of Vietnamese heritage is starting.
