Preserving essence of Vietnamese attire: Journey of Hoa Lu Legacy

Initiated by Sinh Duoc Cooperative, the Hoa Lu Legacy project has chosen to retrace the past, drawing on the cultural heritage of Viet Nam’s earliest dynasties to reconstruct and develop traditional costumes, with the mission: to build a bridge that brings heritage closer to contemporary life.

Legend has it that Lady Nguyen Thi Sen, consort of King Dinh Tien Hoang, was the progenitor of the Vietnamese tailoring craft. From the ancient land of Hoa Lu, the art of tailoring and royal costume-making once flourished. Yet over time, much of the material, techniques, and artefacts from the Dinh, Early Le, Ly, and Tran dynasties have been lost, leaving only fragments scattered across archaeological remains, moss-covered temples, and in the oral traditions of local communities.

Determined to preserve and revitalise this heritage, Sinh Duoc Cooperative, in collaboration with cultural and archaeological researchers, has delved into rare sources, academic studies, ancient texts, artefacts, architectural motifs, and folk tales, to reconstruct and interpret traditional Vietnamese costumes.

Beyond preservation, the project embraces creativity to breathe new life into the past. Through photoshoots featuring traditional costumes at Ninh Bình’s heritage sites, the creation of contemporary fashion pieces inspired by historical styles, and tailored costume solutions for festivals, Hoa Lu Legacy brings heritage into the heart of modern culture.

At the core of Hoa Lu Legacy lies a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity. Intricate patterns, silhouettes, and motifs from the past are thoughtfully integrated into handicrafts, accessories, and fashion items, paving a new path for Vietnamese fashion that is rich in identity yet appealing to younger generations.

The project’s designs and activities also contribute to the development of cultural tourism in Ninh Binh, the ancient capital, where visitors can don traditional costumes, embody historical figures, and immerse themselves in the past through lenses, festivals, and vivid, meticulously recreated settings.

The initiative is driven by a team of young, dedicated individuals passionate about cultural heritage, guided by a central question: "How can Vietnamese people better understand and take pride in their own legacy?"

In seeking that answer, they have devoted themselves to preserving and honouring Vietnamese heritage, especially among the younger generation. Each creation they craft tells a story, offering a glimpse into the nation’s history, woven with cultural devotion and the desire to safeguard ancestral treasures.

One notable creation is the “Uyen Uong” (Mandarin Duck) hairpin, fondly called the “little duck pin”, inspired by the waterfowl patterns found on ancient roof tiles in the former imperial capital. This pin is not only a revival of ancient iconography but also a poetic homage to the essence of Vietnamese life in days past, where nature, architecture, and spiritual beliefs intertwined in every detail. It is a quiet rebirth of symbols once thought forgotten, now brought back to life with the resilient spirit of a culture closely tied to rivers, wetlands, and agrarian traditions.

Another design, the “Lotus Hairpin”, serves as a tribute to the sacred flower in Vietnamese Buddhist art. Inspired by lotus motifs from the Tran and Early Le dynasties, this piece beautifully combines aesthetic purity with profound spiritual meaning. As a symbol of compassion, resilience, and enlightenment, the lotus rendered in this delicate accessory becomes not only an ornamental highlight but a gentle reminder of the noble character of bygone generations.

Hoa Lu Legacy has also reconstructed a number of ceremonial costumes, most notably those of emperors from the Ly and Tran dynasties.

Recently, the empress’s ceremonial costume of the Dinh dynasty, meticulously reconstructed by Hoa Lu Legacy, was featured in the large-scale cultural show “Gam Voc Hoa Lu”. More than a performance, it was a spiritual homecoming, a quiet dialogue between past and present, where the breath of history resonated with the admiration of spectators and the quiet pride of young artisans committed to preserving Vietnamese soul.