Áo Dài Fashion Week London 2026 brought together more than designers, artisans and models. Among the guests were diplomats, business leaders, social-impact organisations and representatives of Vietnamese communities across Europe.
At the Leonardo Royal Hotel London Tower Bridge, people from very different professional backgrounds gathered around a shared interest: the Áo Dài and the wider opportunity to introduce Vietnamese culture to international audiences.
Guests included representatives of the Embassy of Vietnam in the UK, ambassadors and diplomats from Southeast Asian countries, Terence D. Jones, former Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, and Hoàng Đình Thắng, President of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Europe.
The business and non-profit sectors were represented by guests including Laurent Auffret, Marketing Director of Bretinov; Christine Lê of Eastern Horizon; Tracy Nguy of UK Link; and Isabelle Müller of LOAN Foundation.
They came from different fields, but their conversations returned to a simple question: what does it mean to support an event dedicated to the Áo Dài in London?
Another Way to Introduce Vietnam
For Laurent Auffret, Marketing Director of Bretinov, Vietnam is already part of his professional world. The French company specialises in the design and manufacture of food-processing machinery and has developed a machine capable of producing traditional Vietnamese spring rolls using rice paper.
At Áo Dài Fashion Week London, he saw a connection between two very different expressions of Vietnamese culture.
“We created the first machine in the world to produce traditional Vietnamese spring rolls using traditional rice paper. For us, it is a way of bringing a traditional Vietnamese product to the world. Áo Dài Fashion Week is doing something similar by introducing this traditional Vietnamese dress to the public in England. We are very proud to be part of this project.”
For Christine Lê of Eastern Horizon, supporting the event was also about community, cultural diversity and creating greater visibility for Vietnamese culture in London.
“As a business owner, I see this as a great opportunity to engage with the community and reconnect with where we come from, while promoting culture and diversity and meeting new people. I have seen many cultural events in the UK celebrating Japan, Korea, Thailand and China, so having an event dedicated specifically to the Áo Dài brings something distinctly Vietnamese to London’s cultural landscape.”
A Meeting Point Through the Áo Dài
Tracy Nguy of UK Link was also among the event’s guests and partners. From the perspective of a business operating in the UK, the event offered an opportunity to meet members of the community, organisations and professionals working across connections between Vietnam and the United Kingdom.
“Áo Dài Fashion Week London creates a very natural way for people to connect through culture. Bringing something so distinctly Vietnamese to London not only allows audiences to discover more about Vietnam, but also brings together individuals and organisations with shared interests and creates opportunities for new connections.” – Said Tracy
For Isabelle Müller, being in London carried a more personal meaning. Her affection for the Áo Dài is closely connected to memories of Vietnam and of her mother.
“I have always had a special affection for the Áo Dài because wearing it reminds me of Vietnam and of my mother, whose name I chose for LOAN Foundation. Being in London for Áo Dài Fashion Week therefore means a great deal to me. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the beauty of Vietnamese women and to introduce Vietnamese culture to a wider international audience.” Said Isabelle.
Support from the Vietnamese Community in Europe
Also attending was Hoàng Đình Thắng, President of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Europe. His presence reflected the wider involvement of Vietnamese organisations across Europe in supporting initiatives that introduce Vietnamese culture to audiences beyond the community itself. “For many years, Vietnamese communities across Europe have placed great importance on promoting the Áo Dài in different ways. I highly appreciate the organisers’ efforts in delivering such a professionally organised programme in London. It shows that wherever Vietnamese people live, they want to integrate into their local society while continuing to preserve their cultural identity and traditions.”
Around the two runway shows, conversations continued through the exhibition and networking programme, bringing designers and artisans into direct contact with diplomats, business leaders, organisations and members of the media. The presence of guests with longstanding connections to Vietnam, including Terence D. Jones, added another dimension to an audience drawn from different countries and professional backgrounds.
For one day in London, the Áo Dài became a shared point of connection — bringing together people from different countries and professions around Vietnamese culture, and how it can reach new audiences beyond Vietnam.
