The story of Vietnamese Gen Z reclaiming their heritage is a powerful one, and it begins with a simple yet profound connection to fashion. For Jennifer Kiều Anh Doan, it's a journey that starts with her mother's legacy and leads to a celebration of Vietnamese culture and creativity.
Ms. Đại Nguyen, Jennifer's mother, found herself in Australia after fleeing post-war Saigon, now known as Ho Chi Minh City. Her journey, like that of many Vietnamese migrants, was one of necessity. Forced to sew clothes in her living room, Ms. Nguyen's work was a means of survival, driven by financial needs rather than creative freedom.
But here's where it gets controversial: her daughter, Ms. Doan, has turned this narrative on its head. As co-owner of KIỀU Store, an online boutique based in Melbourne, she showcases the talent of emerging Vietnamese designers. In doing so, she honors her mother's experience as an "outworker" and finds a unique connection to her culture through fashion.
"Wearing garments designed and crafted by Vietnamese creatives is like touching home," Ms. Doan explains. "The fabrics, the craftsmanship, and the sensibility all bear the mark of my people and my community."
Ms. Nguyen's story is a thread in a larger tapestry. She, along with countless other underpaid Vietnamese migrants, formed the backbone of Australia's fashion industry in the 1990s. These outworkers, often working invisibly from home, were a significant part of the 329,000 recorded fashion outworkers in 1995.
Emma Do and Kim Lam's graphic novel, "May ở Nhà" (Working from Home), documents the experiences of these Vietnamese outworkers. It reveals a stark contrast between the past and present, where Vietnamese fashion designers are now celebrated and revered.
In recent years, Vietnam has emerged as a fashion leader, attracting Western travelers to Ho Chi Minh City for shopping trips. "There's a real sense of pride in being made in Vietnam, by Vietnamese hands," says Emma Do.
As Vietnam's fashion industry thrives, young Vietnamese creatives like Ms. Doan are inspired to reclaim their history. Through community-driven fashion pop-up stores, they celebrate the legacy of their forebears, honoring the survival labor of the past while embracing the creativity of the present.
Ms. Doan, born in Darwin and raised between Ho Chi Minh City and Melbourne, understands the feeling of being "suspended between two worlds." Yet, the Vietnamese voices at communal markets and the familiar tastes of home cooking kept her grounded.
Reflecting on her visits to Ho Chi Minh City, she says, "I saw a country not trapped in trauma but alive, creative, and constantly evolving." It was here that she found her connection to the youth, the fashion, and the energy of a generation redefining Vietnamese identity.
During a trip in 2024, Ms. Doan reconnected with Minh Nguyen, an acquaintance from Australia. Over a shared love for specific Vietnamese dishes and a desire to connect with their motherland, they formed a friendship and a vision to create a community reminiscent of their homeland.
Fashion became the bridge that connected their worlds and the catalyst for building a community for Melbourne's "Việt Kiều" - Vietnamese people and their descendants living abroad.
In 2024, Ms. Doan and Ms. Nguyen launched KIỀU Store, a platform that goes beyond fashion. At their pop-up stores in Melbourne, the sights, sounds, and tastes of Vietnam are brought to life. A Vietnamese street sign, traditional iced coffee, and homemade street food create a space where strangers can connect and share stories of Vietnamese heritage and migration.
"For me, it's about reconnecting with the culture I love, honoring my ancestors, and creating a space where other Việt Kiều can see themselves reflected with pride," Ms. Doan explains.
The revival of Vietnam's fashion industry is a testament to the country's resilience and creativity. After the war, economic reforms opened trade opportunities, leading to the establishment of garment factories in the late 1980s. By the early 2000s, a growing middle class demanded homegrown fashion and design talent.
Ms. Doan attributes Vietnam's global fashion acclaim to designers' fearless spirit, a trait she believes is inherited from their ancestors' wartime resilience. This fearlessness is reflected in experimental silhouettes and boundary-pushing designs.
"Modern Vietnamese fashion is a reflection of Vietnam's ability to reinvent itself after the war," she says. Traditional dresses like the áo dài have been reimagined with exaggerated silhouettes, side slits, and unconventional fabrics. While older generations may view these designs as extreme, Ms. Doan believes "tension between generations is what pushes culture forward."
There's also a misconception that Asia is merely a fast-fashion hub, lacking creativity. KIỀU Store and other Việt Kiều fashion pop-ups challenge this notion by showcasing Vietnamese designers as creative innovators. For Ms. Doan, these pop-ups are a reminder that "Vietnamese culture is alive, and I'm a part of it."
And this is the part most people miss: it's not just about inheriting culture through family, but about creating ongoing connections and communities that celebrate and honor Vietnamese heritage.
