Couture club: Models wear Ta Linh outfits made from recycled materials. — File Photo

HA NOI (VNS)— Viet Nam Fashion Week kicks off tonight at the Ha Noi Daewoo Hotel, with a taste of 19 collections (600 designs) by veteran and emerging designers to be shown during the week.

"The trend of Spring and Summer 2013 will be gentle and peaceful," said creator Minh Hanh.

Young designers had made clothes that were highly practical. For example, design graduate Ta Linh would make his debut with a collection of garments from recycled materials.

A recent product of the Costume Design Department of the Cinema and Theatre College, Linh said his collection of 15 designs would be mixed and matched at the show.

"The collection was made over two months," he said. "I collected and treated recycled materials for a distinctive look," Linh said.

Linh hoped his collection would not be limited by the latest trends in fashion which would depend on the wearer's creativity.

"The collection by Linh is very flexible," Hanh said. "The designs can be used by wearers to match appropriate clothing."

Linh also spent two years studying at the London College for Fashion Studies in Ha Noi. His collection will be shown on Saturday to close fashion week.

Others to be paraded this week, include Viet Thang Garments, noted for its design collections for young people, which will show collections by four designers.

And on Saturday, a contribution by Spanish designer Diego Cortizas will be featured.

The first Viet Nam Fashion Week was held in 1998 and has since become the main annual event for the Vietnamese fashion industry. — VNS