The show aims to highlight the cultural value of their traditional costumes.

A reporter from Radio the Voice of Vietnam interviewed Hoang Xuan Luong, deputy head of the Government Committee for Ethnic Minorities, about the significance of Vietnam’s ethnic costumes.

Reporter: The costumes of 54 ethnic groups are very diverse but they have not been formally displayed to the public before. Could you tell us about the significance of the fashion show?

Mr Luong: We are organising the fashion show to highlight the beauty of their traditional costumes and help them preserve and promote their cultures.

The Committee for Ethnic Minorities will also co-ordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to preserve and promote the value of these traditional costumes.

Reporter: How are the traditional costumes chosen for the fashion show?

Mr Luong: We have issued an official announcement about the fashion show to 63 provinces and cities across the country providing guidelines for setting up a jury of cultural researchers and managers to evaluate the costumes. The selection is based on various criteria including the original patterns, and design of the costumes which are commonly worn by most ethnic people in a particular group.

Reporter: Some of Vietnam’s ethnic groups no longer wear their traditional costumes. Can these groups participate in the fashion show?

Mr Luong:  It is true that seven of Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups, such as the Odu, Chut, and Strieng no longer wear their traditional costumes. We have sent experts to places where these groups live to conduct a survey and take photos of the original costumes in order to restore them.

For example, in the case of the O du ethnic group in the central province of Nghe An that migrated from Laos, they no longer wear their traditional costumes. Our experts recently went to Laos to conduct a survey and ever since we have succeeded in restoring all the patterns and designs of what we believe to be the group's original costumes.

Reporter: Many ethnic costumes today are not made from the traditional fabrics. Do the organizers of the fashion show consider this a criterion for selection?

Mr Luong:  We select the traditional costumes based on the patterns, designs and characteristics of each ethnic group. The actual fabric might change over time but we have to move along with it. As you might know, some ethnic groups in the past used tree barks to make their costumes but now they no longer do so.

Reporter: Do the ethnic people still make their own traditional costumes?

Mr Luong: Oh, yes, they like to design and model their own costumes on gender and height. As they are not professional models. We are mainly focused on the authenticity of the costumes and whether they represent the common characteristics of the ethnic group.

Reporter: The Kinh is a majority group in the great family of 54 ethnic groups. What will they present at the fashion show?

Mr Luong: In different parts of the countries, the Kinh have different costumes such as a loose-fitting blouse (ao ba ba), and the traditional long dress (ao dai). I believe the Kinh also preserve their costumes in the same way as other ethnic groups, and I think they should pay more attention to their preservation work.

Reporter: How does the Government Committee for Ethnic Minorities plan to preserve ethnic costumes after the fashion show?

Mr Luong: We plan to use funding from the Government Committee for Ethnic Groups to buy 54 costumes that best represent each of the country's 54 ethnic groups. These costumes will be displayed in the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and used for research. The fashion show will help us evaluate costumes that need to be restored and decide how to preserve them for future generations.

Reporter: Will the traditional costume fashion showf be organised annually to promote the traditional values of ethnic groups?

Mr Luong: I hope the event will be held twice a year.

Reporter: Thank you.