What to wear: Models wear designs by Viet Ha, Chula and Hong Vuong at Viet Nam Fashion Week Fall & Winter 2012. — File Photos

HA NOI — One of the country's leading fashion designers, Minh Hanh, is launching a new collection for fashionistas who love mystery and may be inspired by motifs highlighting the strength of the snake.

Presented at the Viet Nam Fashion Week Fall & Winter, the collection is one of many by local designers set to turn heads.

Hanh is master of combining traditional designs with modern clothing and this season's trends rely heavily on both creative cuts and colour contrasts.

Using diversified materials like quilt cotton, wool, cotton net fabric and fake snakeskin, Hanh has created a collection for those who dress to thrill.

As the top designer in Viet Nam's fledging fashion industry, Hanh is a founder of Viet Nam Fashion Week, which is held twice a year with Spring & Summer and Fall & Winter collections.

Fashion Week Fall & Winter kicked off last night at runway shows featuring more than 700 designs by 22 designers, including Chula label from Spain.

Designers from Viet Thang Garment Company will show off their collection made from wool, lace and cotton dyed with high-tech techniques, while Thai Nguyen's collections were created by three designers: Nguyen Thi Thu Nga, Thu Phuong and Quynh Huong. Other highlights include the two designers Hai Long and The Huy, who will debut their design for both women and men in a collection made with simple style rules and hand-made embroidered patterns.

Three-dimensional technology will take the fashion week by storm with new innovations and discoveries by designers like Hung Viet, Vu Viet Ha, Minh Minh and Mai Tram.

Appearing in Viet Nam since 2004, the Chula brand name run by Spanish designer and architecture Diego Cortizas will feature the theme Go Green. The 30-model collection for women will present a story cautioning people about the impact of climate change.

The three-night fashion week will be held at Ha Noi Daewoo's swimming pool and feature models from the New Talent and Modern World companies along with Miss Viet Nam World Diem Huong and Miss Viet Nam Ngoc Han.

The shows are organised by Viet Nam Garment Textile and Viet Nam Garment Association. — VNS