By Jia Lissa 
In an era of burgeoning global recognition for Vietnamese creative talent, a new vanguard of designers is meticulously carving out a significant niche within the international fashion landscape. Among them, DOAN Atelier stands as a compelling testament to the power of honoring ancestral legacies while boldly stepping into the future. Their latest collection, "Nàng Gấm" (Folklore of the Silk Lady), is a profound exploration of Vietnamese traditions, a narrative woven through the very fibers of each garment. This collection not only celebrates the enduring beauty and strength of Vietnamese women across history but also redefines the concept of regality through the lens of labor and craftsmanship.
The genesis of "Nàng Gấm" can be traced to Jennie (Gia Linh) Doan, a graduate of Seneca Polytechnic’s Fashion Arts program. Her meticulously crafted collection, unveiled last spring, captivated audiences with its innovative designs and unwavering commitment to upholding Vietnamese heritage. This groundbreaking work earned Jennie a prestigious nomination for the Fashion Design Student Award at the recent Canada Arts and Fashion Awards, a recognition that underscores the growing influence of emerging Vietnamese designers on the global stage.
In an exclusive interview with EnVi over Zoom, Jennie and her brother, Austin Doan, the creative forces behind DOAN Atelier, delved into the profound depths of their heritage, the foundational principles of their brand, and the rich tapestry of lore that inspired "Nàng Gấm." This sibling duo, with their shared artistic sensibilities and complementary skill sets, are spearheading a movement that is not only redefining Vietnamese fashion but also illuminating the often-overlooked narratives of its cultural past.
The Sibling Architects of DOAN Atelier
The collaborative dynamic between Jennie and Austin Doan is a natural extension of their lifelong bond as siblings and artistic partners. Jennie, the visionary designer, breathes life into concepts, translating intricate ideas into tangible garments with an innate understanding of form and structure. Austin, serving as the creative director, orchestrates the collection’s narrative, enriching it through extensive research and compelling editorial visuals.
Their journey into the arts is deeply rooted in their upbringing in Vietnam, where they hail from a family with a multi-generational legacy in music and dance. Jennie’s formative years were shaped by ballet, while Austin honed his skills in traditional Vietnamese music. Upon relocating to Toronto for their studies, the siblings found themselves drawn to explore new artistic frontiers. Austin broadened his creative scope to encompass visual mediums, producing music videos, short films, and documentaries, while Jennie discovered her calling in the world of fashion design.
"We’ve always been so fascinated with fashion, and I think it makes sense because we’re both in the arts," Austin shared. "We’re both performers ourselves, so we have that kind of connection to costume design." This inherent understanding of performance and visual storytelling profoundly influences their approach to fashion.
For Jennie, the years spent immersed in dance rehearsals, surrounded by the glamour of stage costumes and witnessing the intricate craftsmanship behind them, revealed a powerful synergy between theatrical costuming and haute couture. In dance, where movement and the body serve as the primary language, the structure of costumes is paramount. Jennie meticulously applies this principle to her designs, believing it to be the very core of DOAN Atelier’s aesthetic: "Garments have to move a certain way and be seen a certain way."
Unearthing the "Folklore of the Silk Lady"
Drawing from a rich family heritage steeped in classical art forms and the intergenerational transmission of craft, Jennie and Austin turned their gaze inward, exploring the traditional Vietnamese arts and the stories that have shaped their lives. The collection’s title, "Nàng Gấm" – Folklore of the Silk Lady – directly references the legends, myths, and tales that were a constant presence in their childhood. Jennie found particular inspiration in the narratives of Vietnamese heroines, from the formidable Trưng sisters, 1st-century military commanders who led pivotal rebellions, to resilient maiden archetypes found in fairytales like "Tấm and Cám," often referred to as the Vietnamese Cinderella. Coupled with the personal anecdotes and ancestral histories shared by her grandparents and parents, Jennie’s research became a profound homage to the keepers of folklore: the women who tirelessly carry histories forward.
"I wanted to dive deeper into how women dressed 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 exploration led her to meticulously research Vietnamese garments, their regional variations, and their evolution through time.
The extensive research into the historical evolution of Vietnamese womenswear was a cornerstone of the collection’s development, with Austin leveraging his documentary filmmaking experience to guide the process. A significant challenge, as Jennie noted, was maintaining historical accuracy while allowing for creative interpretation and reinterpretation.
Silk, Vietnam’s most iconic and traditionally significant fabric, takes center stage as the primary protagonist of "Nàng Gấm." The collection prominently features "gấm" (heavy silk) and "lụa" (mulberry silk), fabrics that are intrinsically linked to Vietnam’s cultural identity and economic history. "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 the material and its muses is palpable in every creation within "Nàng Gấm," which reimagines traditional Vietnamese attire through a contemporary, editorial lens.
The Deep Lore Woven into "Nàng Gấm"
At its conceptual heart, "Nàng Gấm" intricately explores the interwoven themes of class, labor, and femininity. The collection’s striking color palette deliberately employs a duality of black and yellow, symbolizing the working class and nobility, respectively. Historically, black was the practical choice for rural laborers, its color offering a degree of camouflage against dirt during agricultural work. Conversely, vibrant yellows were favored by the upper echelons of society, signifying wealth, affluence, and authority. Crucially, this latter group also held the exclusive privilege of adorning themselves in silk, a luxurious fabric accessible only to those of their elevated social and economic standing.
The collection artfully showcases a diverse array of iconic garments and elements from Vietnamese heritage, reflecting various social classes, geographical regions, and ceremonial occasions. It transitions seamlessly from the formal elegance of the áo dài to more everyday silhouettes like the áo yếm, a halterneck undergarment, and the áo bà ba, a long-sleeved blouse and pant set traditionally associated with women in the rural Mekong Delta.
Looks 2 and 5, for instance, epitomize this careful balance, presenting reinterpretations of these garments with a distinctly modern sensibility, while steadfastly preserving the timeless, rustic, and intimate beauty characteristic of Vietnamese women. Notably, Look 5 gained international acclaim when it was featured in the music video for Lady Gaga and Doechii’s track "RUNWAY." This ensemble, adorned with a lotus-leaf patterned skirt that unfurls like a blooming lotus itself, masterfully embeds profound cultural imagery within a high-fashion context, aligning the motif of Vietnamese femininity and resilience with the song’s empowering theme of self-assurance.
Further enriching the collection are reimagined accessories that carry significant cultural weight. 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 đống"), a ceremonial wedding headdress; and the "kiềng," a silver or gold necklace often passed down as a cherished heirloom.
The deliberate inclusion of attire from diverse regions across Vietnam serves to highlight the varied nature of labor and how dress is intrinsically shaped by geography, occupation, and daily life. "Nàng Gấm" adeptly bridges the utilitarian design of workwear with the regal silhouettes of ceremonial garb, harmoniously intertwining them into sophisticated contemporary couture compositions.
This powerful contrast is particularly evident in Look 1, where a long robe draws inspiration from the "áo tấc," a rain cloak fashioned from layered palm leaves, and the "áo long bào," a gold, dragon-emblazoned robe traditionally reserved for emperors. This intentional juxtaposition marries garments from vastly different origins, creating a singular, impactful statement.
Look 3’s skirt design mirrors the shape of "nơm bắt cá" (fish trapping baskets), while its cascading yellow silk fringes evoke the flowing grains of rice. This imagery powerfully conjures the generations of agricultural labor and sustenance that have been fundamental to Vietnamese culture.
Look 4 pays homage to the ethnic minority communities residing in Vietnam’s mountainous regions. Its dramatic asymmetrical shoulder piece emulates the undulating contours of rolling hills and towering peaks. Across the garment, carved waves evoke the mesmerizing movement of "ruộng bậc thang" (terraced rice fields). Worn over a backless áo yếm-inspired dress featuring a bold leg slit, and complemented by a wide-brimmed nón ba tầm that artfully veils the eyes, this look exudes confidence and allure, capturing the quiet yet formidable resilience of Vietnamese women.
From Visionary Sketch to Exquisite Silhouette
The genesis of "Nàng Gấm" can be traced to Look 4, the initial sketch that served as the foundational concept for the entire collection. This design, the first to be brought to life, remained remarkably faithful to Jennie’s original vision throughout its meticulous execution.
The process of constructing this piece proved to be a significant learning curve, with Jennie candidly acknowledging the complexities of working with silk. Compounding this challenge was the limited supply of material. Jennie made a conscious decision to source all silks and fabrics for the collection directly from Vietnam, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to authenticity. The Doan siblings’ family played an instrumental role in the collection’s development, with their parents procuring the necessary textiles from local markets and artisans in Vietnam before shipping them to Canada. This collaborative effort, supported by family, local businesses, and artisans, epitomizes an "it takes a village" approach, further solidifying the collection’s dedication to Vietnamese authenticity and craftsmanship.
During their conversation with EnVi, Jennie shared a piece of test fabric she had experimented on to achieve the distinctive grooved slashes on the shoulder piece of Look 4. The signature yellow silk peeks through the black canvas, adorned with intricate lines of embroidery, each slit and threaded pattern meticulously executed by hand. Jennie revealed that she had deconstructed an áo dài, a gift from her mother, carefully studying its layers, seams, and underlying structure to gain a deeper understanding of its construction.
This painstaking attention to detail, poured into every single piece, powerfully embodies the thematic proverb of "Nàng Gấm": "khó nhọc, sống sau," which translates literally to "suffer first, ease later," a sentiment akin to the English idiom "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 echoed 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 underscored the critical importance of manual labor in "harvesting 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 unwavering care that are essential for preserving delicate beauty. Through the 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" Making its Mark on the Global Stage
The unveiling of "Nàng Gấm" represents just the nascent stages of DOAN Atelier’s journey. Jennie and Austin are actively working to establish their presence within the fashion industry, navigating the demanding rhythms of academic pursuits, professional careers, and personal lives. Their immediate focus is on deepening their understanding of the industry, fostering connections with fellow creatives, and strategically building their team.
Deeply inspired by the pioneering Vietnamese designers who have paved the way and their contemporary peers, the siblings aspire to join their ranks, occupying a prominent space on the global stage and representing a burgeoning vision of Vietnamese talent.
During the development and showcase of "Nàng Gấm," Jennie and Austin observed a recurring sentiment from many impressed by the quality of the silk: "Wow, is this coming from Vietnam?" They initially expressed surprise at this reaction, noting, "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 largest exporters of textiles, Vietnam plays a monumental role in the global fashion supply chain. However, its rich legacy of craftsmanship has historically remained largely unrecognized. It is only recently that the skills of Hôi An tailors have gained viral traction on social media among tourists, yet for Vietnamese people, tailoring culture has always been an integral part of daily life, with shops readily available on nearly every corner.
When reflecting on what they hope both Vietnamese and international audiences will take away from their future work, Austin shared with EnVi, "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 mission to build upon the profound foundation laid by "Nàng Gấm," translating heritage into modern, compelling reimagining. The brand is actively positioning Vietnam not merely as a hub for production, but as a vibrant forefront of emerging creative talent, a land saturated with rich craftsmanship, enduring cultural memory, and relentless innovation.
At the very core of DOAN Atelier lies an enduring tribute to Vietnamese women, spanning from the annals of the past to the present day. Their strength, resilience, and dedication to labor continue to shape the very fabric of each meticulously crafted piece.
To stay abreast of DOAN Atelier’s evolving creations, follow them on their official Instagram page.
