On May 30, in Hanoi, the "Miss Vietnam Global Ao Dai Heritage 2026" contest was officially announced, marking the birth of a beauty pageant imbued with national cultural identity.
The contest aims to honor the beauty of Vietnamese women in traditional ao dai, and at the same time contribute to promoting the image and value of Vietnamese ao dai to international friends.
This is considered one of the first beauty contests to focus on the ao dai heritage, connecting Vietnamese women living, studying and working around the world.
The program is organized by SMT Investment and Development Joint Stock Company, with the desire to create a meaningful cultural and artistic activity, contributing to spreading pride in traditional national costumes.
According to the Organizing Committee, the contest is not simply looking for outstanding faces in terms of appearance but also aimed at women with intelligence, bravery and the ability to inspire. Through the contest, contestants will become active representatives in the journey of promoting Vietnamese culture, linking personal beauty with community responsibility and love for national heritage.
Sharing at the announcement ceremony, designer Cao Thu Van - Head of the Organizing Committee said that the contest was built with the goal of contributing to making Ao Dai a symbol of Vietnamese culture in the international arena.
In addition to honoring traditional beauty, the program also wishes to encourage wearing ao dai in modern life, considering this a civilized and unique beauty, while linking it with charity activities and cultural preservation.
The organizers expect the contest to create many long-term values such as building the image of a dynamic, modern "Heritage Women" generation capable of leading the community; and at the same time forming a collection of high-quality image, film and documentary materials about ao dai associated with Vietnamese scenic spots to serve foreign promotion work.
The contest also aims to establish special imprints in Ao Dai performance activities and heritage art.
Contestants are female Vietnamese citizens aged 20 to 45 living in the country or abroad. Contestants must graduate from high school or higher, have a height of 1m62, balanced appearance, good moral qualities, do not violate the law and fully meet the conditions according to the regulations of the Organizing Committee.
After the announcement ceremony on May 30, the preliminary round will take place on June 10, 2026 at the headquarters of SMT Investment and Development Joint Stock Company. Contestants will present ao dai and introduce their talents through a 3-minute video prepared in advance. The list of Top 30 excellent contestants entering the final round is expected to be announced on June 11, 2026.
Before the final night, the contestants will participate in many activities such as making self-introduction films, charity programs, skills training, taking specialized photos of ao dai and evening gowns, filming TVC promotions as well as secret interviews with the judges.
The final night is scheduled to take place at 8:00 PM on June 20, 2026 at Vietnam Television. Contestants will go through many competitions including performances of the "Ao Dai Heritage Colors" collection, performances of modernized ao dai, evening gowns and Q&A competitions revolving around the theme of ao dai, the value of modern women and social responsibility.
The judging panel gathers many prestigious names in the fields of culture, art and media. Among them, historian Duong Trung Quoc takes on the role of Special Judge, NSND Lan Huong holds the position of Head of the judging panel. Also include Mr. Vuong Duy Bien, journalist Ngo Ba Luc, Dr. Lai Thi Thu Ha, businesswoman Nguyen Thi Minh Tin, designer Nguyen Thi Huong and Miss Sea and Island 2022 Dinh Nhu Phuong.
The contest will award the title of Miss Ao Dai Vietnam Global Heritage along with the titles of 1st Runner-up, 2nd Runner-up, 3rd Runner-up, 4th Runner-up and 10 sub-prizes.
With the message of honoring Ao Dai - the pride of the Vietnamese nation, the contest hopes to become a bridge connecting Vietnamese women around the world, joining hands to preserve, spread and promote the value of Ao Dai heritage in the period of integration.
