Crown to catwalk: Miss Viet Nam 2010, Dang Ngoc Han, wears a design she created. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

HA NOI (VNS) — The latest creations by Viet Nam's leading fashion designers will strut down this year's spring-summer runway at Viet Nam Fashion Week, which opens tonight.

Seventeen designers from Viet Nam, Spain and Malaysia will show 900 outfits in three nights of ready-to-wear and one haute couture show Monday evening. The event will take place at its usual location at Viet Nam Television's station on Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, Ha Noi.

Veteran designer Minh Hanh, and founder of Viet Nam Fashion Week, said the designs span from organzas and silks, to more casual denims and linens to satisfy customers' growing demand for diverse closets.

Hanh goes back in time to historic Japan with a dress collection made from hakata ori, silk textiles used for obi (belt) and kimonos since the 1200s.

"Fashion week, held twice a year, gives us designers a chance to improve our skills, encourage young designers and get a feel for customers' taste," said Hanh.

"By presenting our creations at fashion week, we hope to inspire new trends for the next season. However, to win people's hearts and meet their demands, we have to improve our product.

"A ready-to-wear design should be useful and applicable in daily life, moreover, it should fit to customers' pocketbook," she said.

Designer Ngoc Han agreed, adding that after fashion week there is enough time for the designers to consult customers' opinion and improve their product before the spring-summer season hits.

Han will show at the Television studios, bringing modern printing techniques to bear on her fabrics, a technique that approximates the effect of glaze on ceramic.

"My university graduation collection was similarly inspired by ceramic glaze, however, at that time I used embroidery patterns to make the effect. Now modern printing techniques have allowed me to improve the idea," she said.

The technique involves only a few steps. First Han paints patterns on paper with ink and then uses a printing machine to directly print them onto the fabric- a quicker and more energetic process.

The fashion show will similarly create energy for a blooming industry, bringing together music, light and innovative designs. — VNS