The country's top fashion designers are becoming increasingly bold and sophisticated as the local haute couture scene breaks new ground.

The country's top fashion designers are becoming increasingly bold and sophisticated as the local haute couture scene breaks new ground.

This month's issue of Outlook surveys the local fashion scene and reports on news fashion trends that reflect the growing creativity of Vietnamese designers.

Our feature stories spotlight some of the most original apparel coming out of local fashion houses, including collections that draw inspirations from world trends while modernising traditional Vietnamese styles.

We also take readers to the country's top fashion event, the Viet Nam Fashion Week, to see how new talent is being brought to public attention, while our report on the garment sector finds local firms are cutting costs to remain competitive with clothes exporters in China, India and Indonesia.

Elsewhere in this month's issue, we sample some van than (wonton) noodle soup, meet a Vietnamese-Australian chef who is wowing audiences Down Under, and visit a pagoda that is an oasis of calm in hectic Ha Noi.

Readers can also catch up on what's hot in the country's culinary, sports and arts scenes - and check out listings for everything from bars to embassies.

Outlook retails for VND15,000 at news-stands, major hotels and restaurants and can be purchased at the head office of the Viet Nam News at 11 Tran Hung Dao, Ha Noi, or at our HCM City office at 120 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street. — VNS