In an era where Vietnamese creatives are achieving unprecedented global recognition, a new wave of designers is making its indelible mark on the international fashion landscape. Among them, DOAN Atelier stands out, a brand whose very ethos is a testament to the harmonious integration of historical reverence and future-forward vision. Their latest collection, "Nàng Gấm" or "Folklore of the Silk Lady," is a profound exploration of traditions passed down through generations, a celebration of the enduring beauty and strength of Vietnamese women throughout history, all framed through a lens of the inherent regality found in labor.
Jennie (Gia Linh) Doan, a distinguished alumna of Seneca Polytechnic’s Fashion Arts program, unveiled this significant graduate collection last spring. The showcase featured an array of innovative and bold designs that not only pushed the boundaries of contemporary fashion but also served as a powerful homage to Vietnamese tradition. This groundbreaking work garnered Jennie a prestigious nomination at the recent Canada Arts and Fashion Awards for the Fashion Design Student Award, a recognition that underscores the growing prominence of emerging Vietnamese talent on the global stage.
EnVi had the distinct privilege of engaging in a virtual conversation with the creative minds behind DOAN Atelier, the sibling duo Jennie and Austin Doan. Via Zoom, they generously shared insights into their deeply rooted heritage, the genesis of their brand, and the rich tapestry of lore that underpins their captivating "Nàng Gấm" collection.
The Duo Behind DOAN Atelier: A Symphony of Sibling Creativity
The partnership between Jennie and Austin Doan is more than just a professional collaboration; it’s a natural extension of their lifelong bond as siblings. This innate synergy translates seamlessly into their creative endeavors. Jennie, the visionary designer, is responsible for articulating and meticulously constructing each garment, breathing life into her artistic concepts. Austin, as the creative director, orchestrates the collection’s overall narrative, guiding it through rigorous research and sophisticated editorial direction, including captivating photoshoots.
Hailing from Vietnam, the siblings are the inheritors of a rich artistic lineage, with a family history spanning three generations of accomplished musicians and dancers. Jennie herself has a background in ballet, while Austin honed his skills in traditional music. Their relocation to Toronto for their studies marked a pivotal moment, a period of exploration that led them to forge new paths within the arts. Austin expanded his creative horizons into visual mediums, venturing into music video production, short films, and documentaries. Concurrently, Jennie discovered her calling in the intricate world of fashion.
"We’ve always been so fascinated with fashion," Austin shared, his voice reflecting a deep-seated passion. "And I think it makes sense because we’re both in the arts. We’re both performers ourselves, and so we have that kind of connection to costume design."
Jennie’s years spent immersed in dance rehearsals, surrounded by the glamour of theatrical costumes and witnessing the meticulous craftsmanship behind the scenes, revealed a profound connection between stage costuming and haute couture. In the realm of dance, where movement and the human body serve as the primary language, costume structure is paramount. Jennie has masterfully translated this principle into her designs, believing it to be the foundational element of DOAN Atelier. "Garments have to move a certain way and be seen a certain way," she emphasized, highlighting her commitment to creating clothing that is both aesthetically striking and dynamically functional.
Weaving Stories: The Inspiration Behind "Nàng Gấm"
Drawing from a family deeply entrenched in classical art forms and the generational inheritance of artistic skill, Jennie and Austin turned their gaze towards traditional Vietnamese arts, beginning with the very stories that formed the bedrock of their childhood. The collection’s evocative title, "Folklore of the Silk Lady," is a direct homage to the legends, myths, and tales that shaped their upbringing. Jennie found particular inspiration in the narratives of Vietnamese heroines, from the formidable Trưng Sisters, 1st-century military commanders who led significant rebellions against Han Chinese rule, to resilient maidens featured in fairytales such as the beloved story of Tấm and Cám, often referred to as the Vietnamese Cinderella. Beyond these iconic figures, Jennie also drew inspiration from the personal histories shared by her grandparents and parents, their accounts of their past and upbringings. This deep dive into oral tradition and personal narrative allowed her to pay tribute to the custodians of folklore: the women who have historically carried and transmitted cultural narratives forward.
"I wanted to dive deeper into how women dressed up in the past and what they normally wore," Jennie explained. "I got inspired by áo dài, our traditional costume, áo yếm, and áo bà ba." Her research into Vietnamese garments was extensive, exploring regional variations and the evolution of these iconic pieces throughout history.
Austin, leveraging his experience in documentary filmmaking, led the comprehensive research into the evolution of Vietnamese womenswear. Jennie acknowledged the inherent challenge of this process: maintaining historical fidelity while simultaneously allowing for creative interpretation and modern reimagining.
At the heart of "Nàng Gấm" lies silk, Vietnam’s most historically significant and widely produced fabric. The collection prominently features gấm (heavy silk) and lụa (mulberry silk), elevated to the status of principal characters. "When she first pitched this idea, it very much felt like a love letter to silk," Austin remarked. "It not only felt like a love letter to the fabric itself, but to Vietnamese women." This profound reverence for both material and muse is palpable in every creation within "Nàng Gấm," where traditional Vietnamese attire is reinterpreted through a contemporary, editorial sensibility, resulting in pieces that are both historically resonant and fashion-forward.
The Lore Behind Nàng Gấm: A Tapestry of Class, Labor, and Femininity
At its core, "Nàng Gấm" intricately explores the complex interplay of class, labor, and femininity within Vietnamese society. The collection’s striking color palette is deliberately dualistic, employing black and yellow to represent the working class and nobility, respectively. Historically, black was the preferred hue for rural laborers, its practicality lying in its ability to conceal dirt acquired during agricultural work. Conversely, the upper classes adorned themselves in vibrant yellows, a color symbolizing wealth, affluence, and authority. This distinction was further emphasized by the privilege of wearing silk, a luxurious fabric accessible only to those of a certain social and economic standing.
The collection showcases a diverse array of iconic elements and garments representative of Vietnamese heritage, spanning different social classes, geographical regions, and occasions. It moves seamlessly from the formal elegance of the áo dài to the more intimate, everyday silhouettes such as the áo yếm, a halterneck undergarment, and the áo bà ba, a long-sleeved blouse and pant set commonly associated with women in the Mekong Delta.
Looks 2 and 5, for instance, embody this delicate balance, reinterpreting traditional garments with a distinctly modern approach while preserving the timeless, rustic, and intimate beauty often associated with Vietnamese women. Notably, Look 5 achieved a significant moment of cultural visibility when it was featured in the music video for Lady Gaga and Doechii’s hit song "RUNWAY." This ensemble, characterized by a lotus-leaf patterned skirt that flares outwards like a blooming lotus, masterfully embeds deep cultural imagery within a dazzling high-fashion context. It poetically aligns the motif of Vietnamese femininity and resilience with the song’s overarching theme of unshakeable confidence.
Beyond the principal garments, the collection also reimagines a variety of traditional accessories. These include the khăn mỏ quạ, a square headscarf worn by rural working women; the nón ba tầm, a flat palm hat favored by middle to upper-class Northerners; the mấn (or khăn đóng), a ceremonial wedding headdress; and the kiềng, an intricate silver or gold necklace often passed down as a cherished family heirloom. The incorporation of attire from various regions across Vietnam serves to highlight the diversity of labor and how dress is intrinsically shaped by place, occupation, and daily life. "Nàng Gấm" artfully merges the utilitarian design principles of workwear with the regal silhouettes of ceremonial garb, weaving them together into contemporary couture compositions.
This thematic contrast is particularly evident in Look 1, a resplendent long robe that draws inspiration from both the áo tơi, a rain cloak traditionally fashioned from layered palm leaves, and the áo long bào, a gold robe adorned with dragon motifs, historically reserved for emperors. This intentional juxtaposition of garments from vastly different origins creates a powerful visual narrative.
Look 3’s skirt silhouette is inspired by nơm bắt cá (fish trapping baskets), while its cascading yellow silk fringes evoke the appearance of flowing rice grains, a poignant visual representation of generations of agricultural labor and sustenance.
Look 4 pays homage to the ethnic minority communities residing in Vietnam’s mountainous regions. Its dramatic, asymmetrical shoulder piece emulates the contours of rolling hills and towering peaks. Across the garment, carved waves depict the mesmerizing movement of ruộng bậc thang (terraced rice fields). Worn over a backless áo yếm-inspired dress with a daringly high leg slit, and featuring a wide-brimmed nón ba tầm that artfully veils the eyes, this ensemble projects an image of confident allure, capturing the quiet yet profound resilience of Vietnamese women.
From Sketch to Silhouette: The Labor of Love in Creation
Look 4 also holds the distinction of marking the genesis of the "Nàng Gấm" collection; it was the very first sketch from which the entire collection began to take shape. This initial design was meticulously brought to life, with Jennie ensuring that the original sketch remained intact throughout the entire execution process, a testament to its foundational significance.
The construction of this piece proved to be a significant learning curve, with Jennie candidly sharing the challenges of working with silk. Compounding this was the constraint of a finite supply of material. To underscore the collection’s commitment to Vietnamese authenticity, Jennie made a conscious decision to source all silks and fabrics directly from Vietnam. The Doan siblings’ family played an integral role in the collection’s development, with their parents actively sourcing the necessary textiles from local markets and artisans in Vietnam before shipping them to Canada. This collaborative effort, supported by their family, local businesses, and artisans, reflects a profound "it takes a village" approach, reinforcing the collection’s dedication to Vietnamese authenticity and skilled craftsmanship.
During the virtual interview, Jennie presented EnVi with a piece of test fabric, showcasing her experimentation to create the distinctive grooved slashes on the shoulder piece of Look 4. The characteristic yellow silk peeks from beneath layers of black canvas, interspersed with intricate lines of embroidery, each slit and threaded pattern meticulously executed by hand. Jennie revealed that she had deconstructed an áo dài gifted by her mother, diligently studying its layers, seams, and underlying structure to gain a deeper understanding of its assembly.
The painstaking level of detail infused into each piece authentically embodies the thematic proverb of "Nàng Gấm": khó nhọc, sống sau, which translates literally to "suffer first, ease later," a Vietnamese equivalent of the universally understood adage, "no pain, no gain." This philosophy, deeply ingrained in Jennie and Austin by their parents, resonated particularly with Jennie as she painstakingly assembled each garment.
This ethos of discipline and meticulous care is mirrored in Jennie’s design philosophy. "As a designer, I feel like everything we do, we have to have the intention behind it," she stated. "I don’t want to put something in without any meaning – even down to the smallest detail like a button or a seam."
Embracing agricultural motifs throughout the collection, Jennie emphasized the critical importance of hand labor in order to "harvest the fruit" of her creative endeavors. Much like the fishermen, rice harvesters, weavers, and countless hardworking Vietnamese individuals, it is precisely this intensive labor and dedicated care that are essential for preserving delicate beauty. Through the meticulous creation of this collection, Jennie cultivated a profound appreciation for the labor of Vietnamese women throughout history and their invaluable contributions to the preservation of cultural and material traditions.
Nàng Gấm in the Global Spotlight: A New Dawn for Vietnamese Talent
This collection represents a significant milestone, but it is merely the beginning for DOAN Atelier. Jennie and Austin are actively working to solidify their presence in the competitive fashion industry, navigating the demanding rhythms of academic pursuits, professional careers, and the complexities of everyday life. Their immediate focus is on deepening their understanding of the industry, fostering connections with fellow creative minds, and strategically building their team.
Deeply inspired by the pioneering Vietnamese designers who have paved the way and their contemporary industry peers, the siblings aspire to join them in claiming a prominent space on the global stage, representing a blossoming vision of Vietnamese creative talent.
During the development and showcase of "Nàng Gấm," Jennie and Austin observed a consistent reaction from attendees impressed by the exceptional quality of the silk, often exclaiming, "Wow, is this coming from Vietnam?" This sentiment initially surprised the duo, as they noted, "This is something we could easily have access to. Literally, if you go to Bến Thành Market, this silk is so abundant, but it is something so unknown to people elsewhere."
As one of the world’s leading exporters of textiles, Vietnam plays a monumental role in the global fashion supply chain. However, its long-standing legacy of intricate craftsmanship has remained largely underrecognized. While Vietnamese tailors in places like Hội An have recently gained viral fame through social media among tourists, for many Vietnamese people, tailoring culture has always been an intrinsic part of daily life, with shops discreetly nestled on almost every corner.
When asked about their aspirations for how both Vietnamese and international audiences will perceive their future work, Austin articulated, "It’s not just about promoting Vietnamese fabrics and products, but also for them to know that ‘Hey, we’re Vietnamese and we can do this.’ This is something from our country, and this is something we can do."
As Jennie and Austin Doan continue to evolve their creative output, DOAN Atelier remains steadfast in its commitment to building upon the foundational principles established by "Nàng Gấm," translating heritage into modern reimaginings. The brand persistently endeavors to position Vietnam not merely as a hub of production but as a vanguard of emerging creative talent, a nation rich in skilled craftsmanship, cultural memory, and groundbreaking innovation.
At the very heart of DOAN Atelier lies an enduring tribute to Vietnamese women, encompassing both past and present generations. Their strength, resilience, and labor continue to shape the very fabric of each meticulously crafted piece.
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