World Fashion - the Vietnamese Áo dài

by Lisa for Robyn

Robyn's journal is a cute little fabric covered journal with the theme of World Fashion.  Other entries include dress from Australia, Japan and the Netherlands, so I thought, hmmm, what can I do?

And then I remembered the lovely pics I'd seen of my Vietnamese friend Shinegi, when she and some friends had dressed in the traditional áo dài. Scott and I met Shinegi when we were in Hanoi in 2017, while strolling around Hoan Kiem Lake. She struck up a conversation with us, and a few days later, we all went out for dinner together. Shinegi was a uni student at the time, wanting to improve her English. Scott and I are going back to Vietnam later this year, and will catch up with Shinegi again!

Shinegi is in the yellow áo dài.

I didn't take any progress pics of my spread... oops.  Firstly I drew pics of two of the girls, coloured them using Prismacolour pencils, and cut them out.

Then I found some Asian papers and tissue paper, and collaged them on to the page.  The pics of the girls were added to the right hand page with matte gel medium.

For the left hand page, I also collaged with different papers, then added the word 'Vietnamese' by reverse cutting the letters from another page.  I strengthened the paper first by gluing a layer of cartridge paper to the reverse, hand-wrote my letters and transferred them using baking paper, and cut them out using a scalpel.  Luckily no messy cuts!  This page also has info about the áo dài, which is pronounced ow zye.

And here is the complete spread!  I like how all the coloured papers work together with the drawings of the girls.  I hope Shinegi and her friend like my drawings of them! 💜

I hope you enjoy this little spread Robyn, and hope that peeps learn something about the Vietnamese national costume!

Happy arting! 

Cheers, Lisa xx