Vietnamese Duo Wears Ao Dai Around the World

“Ao Dai 100” is an initiative to showcase Ao Dai in 100 famous locations worldwide, in order to promote the beauty of Vietnamese traditional clothing. This concept was first conceived by 41-year-old Hoang Thanh Tung and his wife, Quynh Nguyen, in May 2018.

Tung shared that six years ago, there was a controversy surrounding Ao Dai in some foreign fashion shows, which caught his attention. It was then that he came up with the idea of using photography to introduce the world to the beauty of Ao Dai.

By February 2020, the couple had visited 12 countries and captured 28 photoshoots at various destinations. However, the project had to be put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic and resumed in 2023.

“Initially, it was just an album of photos from our travels. It wasn’t until the 5th or 6th photoshoot that my wife and I decided to take the project seriously, in order to share our love for Vietnamese Ao Dai with the world,” said Tung. “There are some regrets as I have yet to visit all the beautiful places where I could capture magnificent images. The goal is not to visit 100 countries, but rather 100 ‘destinations,’ and I have carefully selected the most breathtaking spots in each country to showcase to our audience.”

As of January 30, 2024, the couple has completed 64 photoshoots across 4 continents, 27 countries, and territories, resulting in more than 5,000 stunning photos.

One memorable photoshoot took place atop Nangkartshang, overlooking the peak of Ama Dablam in the Himalayas, Nepal. “This is my personal favorite photo because it was extremely challenging to capture. We spent several days trekking at an altitude of over 5,000 meters, battling oxygen deprivation,” shared Tung.

The photo was taken atop Ama Dablam in the Himalayas, Nepal. Photo: Hoang Thanh Tung

One of the most memorable experiences for Tung and his family in 2023 was their 18-day journey to Nepal, where they conquered Everest Base Camp (located at an altitude of 5,390 meters) and Gokyo Peak (altitude 5,483 meters). As novice climbers, reaching base camp was their biggest challenge.

In October 2023, another one of Tung’s two favorite photos was taken at Braemar Peak in Hong Kong, China. The photo features a red Ao Dai against the backdrop of towering skyscrapers overlooking Hong Kong Bay. Tung recalls waiting two days for the perfect weather conditions to capture this remarkable shot.

Tung considers this as one of his two favorite photos of the past year, showcasing a red Ao Dai amidst the skyscrapers of Hong Kong Bay. Photo: Hoang Thanh Tung

Among their most treasured moments in 2023 were the 54th and 55th Ao Dai photoshoots, which took place during their journey to Everest Base Camp (EBC) and the summit of Gokyo Ri mountain. The couple had to trek 150 kilometers, overcoming increasing altitudes from 2,800 meters to 5,500 meters in the Himalayas. The 54th shoot was captured in frigid temperatures of minus 10 degrees Celsius. For the 55th shoot, they selected the summit of Gokyo Ri, offering a breathtaking panoramic view of Mount Everest.

Tung and Quynh climbed Gokyo Ri steadily for four hours in challenging weather conditions, covered in snow and frost.

Tung expressed his fondness for Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, South America, the city of Jerusalem in Israel, and the town of Bethlehem in Palestine. These three destinations stood out to him due to their unique religious, cultural, and societal characteristics.

Tung and his wife have visited 12 countries and taken 28 photoshoots as of February 2020. Photo: Hoang Thanh Tung

Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world, fascinated Tung with its unique natural formations. During the rainy season, the entire flat transforms into a massive mirror, spanning 120,000 square kilometers, reflecting the sky.

Breathtaking photo taken in Salar de Uyuni. Photo: Hoang Thanh Tung

During the dry season, Salar de Uyuni turns into a pristine white salt desert, surrounded by the Incahuasi island, home to the world’s oldest cacti, dating back 1,200 years.

In Bethlehem, inspired by the graffiti art featuring anti-war messages on the city’s walls, the couple chose to wear white Ao Dai as a symbol of peace.

The white Ao Dai symbolizes peace. Photo: Hoang Thanh Tung
“Ao Dai 100” aims to showcase Ao Dai in 100 prominent locations worldwide, promoting the beauty of Vietnamese traditional clothing. Photo: Hoang Thanh Tung
By January 30, 2024, Tung had completed 64 photoshoots across 4 continents, 27 countries, and territories, capturing over 5,000 photos. Photo: Hoang Thanh Tung
Charlotte Pho

The post Vietnamese Duo Wears Ao Dai Around the World appeared first on Vietexplorer.com.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Weather Update: Hanoi to Experience Light Drizzle and High Humidity on March 26

Image
The coastal and plain areas in the Northeast region are currently experiencing light rain, humidity, and scattered fog in the mornings and nights. In other parts of the Northeast, there is light rain with early morning fog and sunny afternoons. The highest temperature in this area ranges from 28 to 31 degrees Celsius, with some mountainous areas reaching above 31 degrees Celsius. In the North Central region, there are showers and thunderstorms in some places at night, as well as scattered fog in the mornings. Other areas experience showers and thunderstorms in the evenings and nights, with the mountainous areas experiencing high heat. The highest temperature in the Southeast region is above 37 degrees Celsius. Weather forecast for different regions Northwest region: The weather forecast predicts rain in some places at night and sunny afternoons. The lowest temperature ranges from 21 to 24 degrees Celsius, with some places dropping below 20 degrees Celsius. The highest temperatu...
Read more

Vietnamese female photographer wins international photo award

Image
Photographer Khanh Phan’s work entitled “Floral Dress” has won the Grand Prize in the 2023 SkyPixel Annual Photo & Video Contest. The results were announced early this month. The award-winning photo of waterlilies by Khanh Phan According to Khanh Phan, the photo, taken in October 2022 in Long An’s Moc Hoa District, shows waterlilies collected by local women that look like a flower dress in the water. Her photo beat out 60,000 others submitted by photographers from around the world. In the caption of the work submitted to the contest, Khanh Phan wrote: “These women are harvesting waterlilies and forming a floral dress on the water. This beautiful scenery can be seen during the flood season in the southern provinces of Vietnam including Long An, Tien Giang, Dong Thap and Vinh Long “. Waterlilies are grown in many rivers and lakes in the regions, not only to beautify the landscape but also as a great source of food for the locals. During the high water season, lo...
Read more

Vietnamese film premieres at Tokyo International Film Festival

The presence of Vietnamese celebrities on the red carpet of the film festival, including director Bui Thac Chuyen, producer Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, actors Le Cong Hoang and Quang Tuan, along with actresses Bao Ngoc Doling and Phuong Anh Dao, drew plenty of attention from both the gathered media and the public. The film marks the return of director Bui Thac Chuyen following his last film “Lời Nguyền Huyết Ngải” (RH108) a decade ago. “Tro Tàn Rực Rỡ” (Glorious Ashes) represents the first Vietnamese film to participate in the Main Section category of the 35th TIFF that is taking place from October 24 to November 2. It will compete against other 14 nominees selected from 107 countries and territories globally, including big hits such as “Ashkal” of France, “By the Window” of Japan, and “Egoist” of Sweden. Based on a novel by renowned Vietnamese writer Nguyen Ngoc Tu, Glorious Ashes showcases the relationships between three women and their partners in a southern seas...
Read more