Back to nature: A design from Trinh Bich Thuy's collection to be shown tonight at the Viet Cultural Space. — File Photo

HA NOI (VNS)— Ha Noi will celebrate a night of head-to-toe fashion tonight in a show entitled Mix & Match, featuring collections by designers from ADesigner Ha Noi and the Viet Nam Leather and Footwear Association (Lefaso).

"The creations were inspired by Italian literature, poetry and architecture," said ADesigner Ha Noi designer Huynh Minh Phuong.

The collections to be presented in Mix & Match represent four different visions of Italy, from the soaring and gentle designs in Ha Linh Thu's Roman Holidays, the romance of Huynh Minh Phuong's Love Story collection, modern development in the Interference collection by GenViet Jeans, and the magnificent history of Italy in Trinh Bich Thuy's Juliet.

The show is the outcome of a co-operative programme between Italy and Viet Nam in footwear and fashion design. The designers attended a five-day training course at the Viet Nam Leather and Shoes Research Institute in October led by Italian expert Giorgio Gadina who helped them acquire and share ideas and know-how in developing Italian style and completing their own collections.

"We had the opportunity to access and learn from Italian expertise to build and develop collections and design shoes harmoniously co-ordinated with clothes," said Phuong, adding that she has since had difficulty finding shoemakers in Viet Nam prepared to make her designs.

Another one-day workshop was also hosted by Lefaso and ADesigner Ha Noi drawing together shoemakers and Italian experts. The participants were introduced to the history of the shoe industry in Viet Nam and discussed creative ideas and sourcing materials. Shoe designs and accessories made from Vietnamese materials such as coconut fibre, buffalo horns and shells were shown by the Italian experts.

The resulting collections in Mix & Match are not only an harmonious combination of Italian and Vietnamese cultures but also a unique combination of fashions with shoes and accessories from Vietnamese enterprises.

The show tonight at 7pm at the Viet Cultural Space at 16 Le Thai To, will be under the artistic direction of painter Le Thiet Cuong with music by DJ Bruno Marchal and will include both Vietnamese and foreign models. For ticket information, please contact Mrs Phuong at 0904195545.

After the show, the collections will be shown at Gallery 39, 39A Ly Quoc Su Street. — VNS