By Dwi Wanna 
In an era where global visibility for Vietnamese creatives is experiencing a significant surge, a new wave of designers is steadily carving out their distinct presence in the international fashion landscape. Among these rising talents is DOAN Atelier, a brand that artfully intertwines historical reverence with a forward-looking vision. Their latest collection, "Nàng Gấm" (Folklore of the Silk Lady), is a testament to this ethos, drawing inspiration from ancestral traditions passed down through generations. The collection is a profound celebration of the enduring beauty and strength of Vietnamese women throughout history, framed through a lens that recognizes the inherent regality in labor.
Jennie (Gia Linh) Doan, a distinguished alumna of Seneca Polytechnic’s Fashion Arts program, unveiled her graduate collection last spring. The showcase featured an array of innovative and boldly conceptualized looks that not only pushed creative boundaries but also resolutely upheld Vietnamese tradition. This remarkable collection garnered Jennie a significant nomination at the recent Canada Arts and Fashion Awards for the coveted Fashion Design Student Award, underscoring her burgeoning talent and the critical acclaim her work has received.
EnVi had the opportunity to engage in an insightful conversation with the creative forces behind DOAN Atelier, sibling duo Jennie and Austin Doan, via Zoom. Their discussion delved into their personal roots, the genesis of their brand, and the rich lore that underpins their captivating "Nàng Gấm" collection.
The Siblings Behind DOAN Atelier: A Shared Artistic Legacy
The collaborative dynamic between Jennie and Austin Doan is deeply rooted in their familial bond and shared artistic journey. As siblings and creative partners, their relationship naturally extends into their professional endeavors. Jennie spearheads the design process, meticulously articulating and constructing each garment, while Austin serves as the creative director, shaping the collection’s narrative through extensive research and evocative editorial photoshoots.
Hailing from Vietnam, the Doan siblings come from a family with a profound connection to the arts, boasting three generations of accomplished musicians and dancers. Jennie herself possesses a background in ballet, while Austin honed his skills in traditional music. Their relocation to Toronto for their studies marked a pivotal moment, prompting them to explore new artistic avenues. Austin expanded his creative palette to encompass visual mediums, venturing into music video production, short films, and documentaries. Concurrently, Jennie discovered her calling in the world of 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, and so we have that kind of connection to costume design."
Jennie’s extensive experience with dance rehearsals, witnessing firsthand the glamour of stage costumes and appreciating the intricate craftsmanship involved, revealed a striking overlap between theatrical costuming and haute couture. In dance, where movement and the human form serve as primary languages, costume structure plays a crucial role. Jennie applies this principle to her designs, believing it to be a foundational element of DOAN Atelier’s aesthetic. "Garments have to move a certain way and be seen a certain way," she explained, emphasizing the dynamic relationship between clothing and the body.
Weaving Stories of Heritage: The Genesis of "Nàng Gấm"
Drawing from a family legacy steeped in classical art forms and the generational inheritance of craft, Jennie and Austin turned their gaze towards traditional Vietnamese arts, beginning with the narratives that had shaped their childhood. The collection’s title, "Folklore of the Silk Lady" (Nàng Gấm), is a direct homage to the legends, myths, and tales that the siblings grew up hearing. Jennie found particular inspiration in the histories of Vietnamese heroines, from the Trung sisters, formidable 1st-century military commanders who led significant rebellions against Chinese rule, to the enduring resilience of maidens in fairytales like "Tấm and Cám," often referred to as the Vietnamese Cinderella. Alongside the personal stories shared by her grandparents and parents about their past and upbringing, Jennie sought to pay tribute to the custodians 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 elaborated. "I was inspired by áo dài, our traditional costume, áo yếm, and áo bà ba." Her research meticulously explored the evolution of Vietnamese garments, examining regional variations and their transformations over time.
Austin, leveraging his experience in documentary filmmaking, led the extensive research into the historical evolution of Vietnamese womenswear for the collection. Jennie noted that a primary challenge lay in maintaining historical accuracy while simultaneously allowing for creative reinterpretation.
Silk, Vietnam’s most historically significant and abundantly produced fabric, takes center stage as the quintessential 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 muse is palpable in every piece within "Nàng Gấm," which reimagines traditional Vietnamese attire through a contemporary, editorial lens.
The Lore Behind Nàng Gấm: A Tapestry of Class, Labor, and Femininity
At its core, "Nàng Gấm" intricately explores the interplay of class, labor, and femininity. The collection’s striking color palette embodies a powerful duality: black and yellow, representing the working class and nobility, respectively. Historically, black was the preferred hue for rural laborers, as it was less prone to showing dirt during agricultural work. Conversely, the upper classes adorned themselves in vibrant yellows, symbolizing wealth, affluence, and authority. This privileged class also held the exclusive right to wear silk, a luxurious fabric accessible only to those of their social and economic standing.
The collection showcases a diverse array of iconic garments and accessories representative of Vietnamese heritage across different social strata, regions, and occasions. These range from the formal áo dài to more everyday silhouettes like áo yếm, a halterneck undergarment, and 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, masterfully embody this thematic balance, reinterpreting traditional garments with a modern sensibility while preserving the timeless, rustic, and intimate beauty of Vietnamese women. Notably, Look 5 gained significant international recognition when it was featured in Lady Gaga and Doechii’s music video for "RUNWAY." This ensemble, characterized by a lotus-leaf patterned skirt that flares outward like a blooming lotus, ingeniously embeds profound cultural imagery within a high-fashion context. It aligns the motif of Vietnamese femininity and resilience with the song’s empowering theme of confidence.
Further reimagined accessories include khăn mỏ quạ, a square headscarf traditionally worn by rural working women; nón ba tầm, a flat palm hat favored by middle to upper-class Northerners; mấn (or khăn đội), a ceremonial wedding headdress; and kiềng, a silver or gold necklace often passed down as a cherished heirloom.
The deliberate inclusion of attire from various Vietnamese regions underscores the diversity of labor and how dress is intrinsically shaped by geography, occupation, and daily life. "Nàng Gấm" seamlessly integrates the utilitarian designs of workwear with the regal silhouettes of ceremonial garb, weaving them into sophisticated contemporary couture compositions. This striking contrast is particularly evident in Look 1, where a long robe draws inspiration from áo tơi, a rain cloak crafted from layered palm leaves, and áo long bào, a gold, dragon-emblazoned robe historically reserved for emperors. This deliberate juxtaposition of garments from vastly different origins creates a powerful visual narrative.
Look 3’s skirt silhouette echoes 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 sustenance.
Look 4 pays homage to the ethnic minority communities inhabiting Vietnam’s mountainous regions through a dramatic asymmetrical shoulder piece, designed to emulate rolling hills and towering peaks. Carved waves across the garment suggest the undulating movement of ruộng bậc thang (terraced rice fields). Worn over a backless áo yếm-inspired dress featuring a daring leg slit, and complemented by a wide-brimmed nón ba tầm that partially conceals the eyes, this ensemble exudes confidence and allure, capturing the quiet yet profound resilience of Vietnamese women.
From Sketch to Silhouette: The Intricate Craftsmanship of Nàng Gấm
Look 4 holds particular significance as it represents the initial spark of inspiration for "Nàng Gấm," serving as the first sketch from which the entire collection evolved. This original design has been meticulously preserved throughout its execution, a testament to its foundational role.
The construction of this piece proved to be a significant learning experience for Jennie, who testified to the challenges of working with silk. Moreover, the collection’s fabrics were sourced exclusively from Vietnam, utilizing a finite supply of material. Jennie and Austin’s family played an integral role in the collection’s development; their parents procured the necessary textiles from local markets and artisans in Vietnam before shipping them to Canada. This familial support, coupled with the involvement of local businesses and artisans, reflects an "it takes a village" approach, reinforcing the collection’s commitment to Vietnamese authenticity and craftsmanship.
During their conversation, Jennie shared a piece of test fabric she had experimented with to achieve the grooved slashes in Look 4’s shoulder piece. The trademark yellow silk peeked through black canvas, adorned with intricate hand-embroidered lines. Jennie revealed that she had meticulously dissected an áo dài sent by her mother, studying its layers, seams, and structure 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, sung sướng sau, which translates literally to "suffer first, ease later," a Vietnamese equivalent of "no pain, no gain." This adage, deeply ingrained by Jennie and Austin’s parents, resonated profoundly with Jennie throughout the assembly of each garment.
This philosophy of discipline and meticulous care is echoed in Jennie’s design approach. "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 within the collection, Jennie emphasized the crucial role of hand labor in "harvesting the fruit" of her creative endeavors. Much like fishermen, rice harvesters, weavers, and hardworking Vietnamese individuals, it is precisely this intensive labor and dedication 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: A Vision for Vietnamese Talent
"Nàng Gấm" marks a significant beginning for DOAN Atelier, as Jennie and Austin aspire to solidify their presence in the fashion industry amidst the demanding rhythms of academic pursuits, professional commitments, and personal lives. The duo is actively focused on further familiarizing themselves with the industry, fostering connections with fellow creatives, and strategically building their team.
Deeply inspired by the preceding generations of Vietnamese designers and their contemporary peers, the siblings hope to join them in occupying prominent spaces on the global stage, representing a flourishing vision of Vietnamese talent.
During the development and showcasing of "Nàng Gấm," Jennie and Austin observed that many were consistently 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 leading textile exporters, Vietnam plays a monumental role in the global fashion supply chain. However, its long-standing legacy of craftsmanship has remained largely underrecognized. Only recently have Hôi An tailors gained viral traction on social media among tourists, yet for Vietnamese people, tailoring culture has always been an intrinsic part of daily life, with shops found on virtually every corner.
Reflecting on their aspirations for both Vietnamese and international audiences to glean 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 dedicated to building upon the foundation laid by "Nàng Gấm," translating heritage into modern reinterpretations. The brand persists in positioning Vietnam not merely as a manufacturing hub but as a vanguard of emerging creative talent, deeply infused with rich craftsmanship, cultural memory, and innovation.
At the very heart of DOAN Atelier lies an ongoing tribute to Vietnamese women, spanning from antiquity to the present day, whose strength, resilience, and labor continue to shape the very fabric of each meticulously crafted piece.
