By Pevita Pearce 
In an era where Vietnamese creatives are experiencing unprecedented global recognition, a new wave of designers is making indelible marks on the international fashion landscape. Among them, DOAN Atelier stands out, its very ethos woven from threads of history and a forward-looking vision. Their recent collection, "Nàng Gấm," or "Folklore of the Silk Lady," is a profound exploration of Vietnamese traditions passed down through generations, celebrating the enduring beauty and strength of Vietnamese women throughout history with a distinct perspective on the regality of labor.
Jennie (Gia Linh) Doan, a graduate of Seneca Polytechnic’s Fashion Arts program, unveiled this significant collection last spring. Her designs, characterized by innovation and boldness, serve as a powerful testament to Vietnamese heritage. The collection’s impact was swiftly recognized, earning Jennie a nomination for the prestigious Fashion Design Student Award at the recent Canada Arts and Fashion Awards.
A recent conversation with EnVi over Zoom offered an intimate glimpse into the minds behind DOAN Atelier. The sibling duo, Jennie and Austin Doan, shared insights into their familial roots, the genesis of their brand, and the rich tapestry of lore that underpins "Nàng Gấm."
The Creative Kinship: Jennie and Austin Doan
As siblings and creative collaborators, Jennie and Austin Doan’s relationship naturally informs their artistic endeavors. Jennie, the visionary designer, meticulously articulates and constructs each garment, bringing her artistic concepts to tangible form. Austin, serving as the creative director, shapes the collection’s overarching narrative and aesthetic through rigorous research and evocative editorial photoshoots.
Hailing from Vietnam, the Doan siblings are the inheritors of a rich artistic legacy, with three generations of their family dedicated to music and dance. Jennie’s own background includes ballet, while Austin honed his skills in traditional music. Upon their relocation to Toronto for their studies, they sought to forge new paths within the artistic realm. Austin expanded his creative scope to encompass visual mediums, producing music videos, short films, and documentaries, while Jennie discovered her calling in fashion design.
"We’ve always been so fascinated with fashion," Austin shared, "and I think it makes sense because we’re both in the arts. We’re both performers ourselves, so we have that kind of connection to costume design."
Jennie’s extensive experience with dance rehearsals, witnessing the spectacle of glamorous costumes, and appreciating the intricate craftsmanship behind stage productions, revealed a profound connection between theatrical costuming and haute couture. In dance, where movement and the human form are primary languages, costume structure plays a pivotal role. Jennie masterfully translates this understanding into her designs, believing it to be the foundational principle of DOAN Atelier. "Garments have to move a certain way and be seen a certain way," she explained.
Echoes of Tradition: The Genesis of "Nàng Gấm"
Drawing from a family steeped in classical art forms and the generational inheritance of craft, Jennie and Austin turned their gaze towards traditional Vietnamese arts, beginning with the timeless stories that have shaped their upbringing. The collection’s title, "Folklore of the Silk Lady," is a direct homage to 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 Trung sisters, 1st-century military commanders who led significant rebellions against Chinese rule, to resilient maidens in fairytales like "Tấm and Cám," often referred to as the Vietnamese Cinderella. Intertwined with personal stories shared by her grandparents and parents about their lives and heritage, Jennie sought to honor the custodians of folklore: the women who actively preserve and transmit histories.
"I wanted to dive deeper into how women dressed in the past and what they normally wore," Jennie elaborated. "I was inspired by áo dài, our traditional costume, áo yếm, and áo bà ba." Her research delved into the intricate evolution of Vietnamese garments, examining regional variations and their transformation across different historical periods.
Austin, with his background in documentary filmmaking, spearheaded the extensive research into the evolution of Vietnamese womenswear. A significant challenge, as Jennie noted, was to maintain historical accuracy while simultaneously allowing for creative interpretation and modern reimagining.
Silk, Vietnam’s most iconic and traditionally significant fabric, takes center stage as the principal element of "Nàng Gấm." The collection prominently features gấm (heavy silk) and lụa (mulberry silk). "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 piece of "Nàng Gấm," which reimagines traditional Vietnamese attire through a contemporary, editorial lens.
The Lore Unveiled: Decoding "Nàng Gấm"
At its core, "Nàng Gấm" navigates the intricate interplay of class, labor, and femininity within Vietnamese society. The collection’s striking color palette employs a deliberate duality: black and yellow, representing the working class and nobility, respectively. Black, traditionally favored by rural laborers, was practical for its dirt-resistant properties during agricultural work. Conversely, vibrant yellows were the domain of the upper classes, symbolizing wealth, affluence, and authority. This distinction was further amplified 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 garments and accessories from Vietnamese heritage, reflecting various social strata, regional identities, and ceremonial occasions. It transitions from the formal elegance of the áo dài to more everyday silhouettes such as the áo yếm, a halter-neck undergarment, and the áo bà ba, a long-sleeved blouse and pant set historically associated with women in the Mekong Delta.
Looks 2 and 5 serve as prime examples of this carefully constructed balance, reinterpreting traditional garments with a modern sensibility while preserving the timeless, rustic, and intimate beauty characteristic of Vietnamese women. Notably, Look 5 was featured in the music video for Lady Gaga and Doechii’s song "RUNWAY." This ensemble, featuring a skirt adorned with a lotus-leaf pattern that flares like a blooming lotus, artfully integrates deep cultural imagery into a high-fashion context. It effectively aligns the motif of Vietnamese femininity and resilience with the song’s powerful theme of self-assurance.
Further enriching the collection are reimagined accessories such as 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, a silver or gold necklace often passed down as a cherished heirloom.
The deliberate inclusion of attire from different regions of Vietnam underscores the diversity of labor and how dress is intrinsically shaped by geography, occupation, and daily life. "Nàng Gấm" masterfully merges the utilitarian design of workwear with the regal silhouettes of ceremonial garb, weaving them into contemporary couture compositions.
This striking contrast is particularly evident in Look 1. The elongated robe draws inspiration from the áo tơi, a rain cloak crafted from layered palm leaves, and the áo long bào, a gold robe emblazoned with dragon motifs traditionally reserved for emperors. This intentional juxtaposition of garments from vastly different origins creates a powerful visual dialogue.
The silhouette of the skirt in Look 3 mirrors the form of nơm bắt cá (fish trapping baskets), while cascading yellow silk fringes evoke flowing grains of rice, symbolizing generations of agricultural labor and the sustenance it provides.
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. Carved waves across the garment evoke the movement of ruộng bậc thang (terraced rice fields). Worn over a backless áo yếm-inspired dress featuring a bold leg slit and a wide-brimmed nón ba tầm that artfully obscures the eyes, this look exudes confidence and allure, capturing the quiet resilience inherent in Vietnamese women.
From Sketch to Silhouette: The Art of Creation
Look 4 also marks a pivotal point in the genesis of "Nàng Gấm," representing the initial sketch from which the entire collection began to take shape. It was the first design brought to life, with Jennie’s original sketch meticulously preserved throughout its execution.
The construction of this piece proved to be a significant learning experience, with Jennie testifying to the inherent challenges of working with silk. Moreover, she was committed to using a finite supply of materials, meticulously sourcing all silks and fabrics for the collection directly from Vietnam. The Doan siblings’ family played an integral 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, embodies an "it takes a village" philosophy, reinforcing the collection’s dedication to Vietnamese authenticity and craftsmanship.
During her conversation with EnVi, Jennie showcased a piece of test fabric she experimented on to achieve the distinctive grooved slashes on the shoulder piece of Look 4. The signature yellow silk peeks from beneath black canvas, adorned with intricate embroidery, with each slit and threaded pattern meticulously handcrafted. Jennie revealed that she had deconstructed an áo dài sent by her mother, diligently studying its layers, seams, and construction to gain a deeper understanding of its assembly.
The painstaking level of detail invested in each piece truly embodies the thematic proverb of "Nàng Gấm": khó nhọc, sống sau, which translates literally to "suffer first, ease later," akin to the English saying "no pain, no gain." This is a philosophy deeply ingrained in Jennie and Austin by their parents, and one that Jennie profoundly experienced as she meticulously assembled each garment.
This philosophy of discipline and care resonates deeply within Jennie’s design approach. "As a designer," she stated, "I feel like everything we do, we have to have the intention behind it. I don’t want to put something in without any meaning – even down to the smallest detail like a button or a seam."
Incorporating agricultural motifs throughout the collection, Jennie emphasized the critical importance of hand labor to "harvest the fruit" of her artistic endeavors. Much like the fishermen, rice harvesters, weavers, and countless other 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 preserving cultural and material traditions.
"Nàng Gấm" on the Global Stage
The development and showcase of "Nàng Gấm" represent just the beginning for DOAN Atelier. Jennie and Austin are actively working to solidify their presence in the fashion industry, navigating the demanding rhythms of academic pursuits, professional careers, and everyday life. The siblings are focused on further immersing themselves in the industry, fostering connections with fellow creatives, and building their dedicated team.
Deeply inspired by the Vietnamese designers who have paved the way and their contemporary industry peers, the siblings aspire to join them in occupying a prominent space on the global stage, representing a blossoming vision of Vietnamese talent.
During the development and presentation of "Nàng Gấm," Jennie and Austin observed a consistent reaction from many who were impressed by the quality of the silk, often exclaiming, "Wow, is this coming from Vietnam?" They initially expressed surprise at this sentiment, 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 underrecognized. It is only recently that Hoi An tailors have gained viral popularity on social media among tourists, yet for Vietnamese people, tailoring culture has always been an integral part of daily life, with shops discreetly located on nearly every corner.
Reflecting on their aspirations for both Vietnamese and international audiences to engage with 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 practice, DOAN Atelier remains dedicated to building upon the strong foundation laid by "Nàng Gấm," consistently translating heritage into modern reinterpretations. The brand is committed to positioning Vietnam not merely as a hub of production but as a vanguard of emerging creative talent, imbued with rich craftsmanship, cultural memory, and a spirit of innovation.
At the very heart of DOAN Atelier lies an enduring tribute to Vietnamese women, spanning from the past to the present. Their strength, resilience, and labor continue to shape the very fabric of each meticulously crafted piece.
To stay updated on DOAN Atelier’s journey, follow them on their official Instagram page.
