The Viet Nam Fashion Week Fall-Winter 2006, featuring 1,500 designs from 28 of Viet Nam’s top young designers, started yesterday and runs until Oct 22 at the Ha Noi Sofitel Plaza. The many shows will present the world’s latest fashion trends for the domestic fashion market.

This year, most collections were primarily made of velvet, wool, checkered material and fiber which have dominated the world fashion market in the fall and winter of 2006. According to designers, the fashion trend this season is mixing the classic with the romantic.

The fashion week exhibits works by young designers who won prizes in the different fashion design contests. This year’s participants bring diverse styles, fresh perspectives, and collections which are both useful and aesthetic. This event marks the public premier for all these new pieces.

”The young designers skillfully combined international fashion trends with real-life conditions and usages in Viet Nam. The trendy hot and dark colors, and checkered materials still play a decisive role,” explained leading fashion designer Minh Hanh, Director of the Vietnam Fashion Design Institute (FADIN) in Ho Chi Minh City.

Designer Quoc Binh has not chosen to use fiber for his collections; instead he presented his designs made of black velvet with patterns utilizing traditionally typical characteristics.

This material has also inspired designer Kieu Viet Lien to design collections of evening dresses in the hot colors of red, pink and violet.

Newly added to the fashion week are collections for men only of eight designers. On this occasion, Phuong Dong Garment Joint-Stock Company will show their new line of polo shirts from seven collections featuring 300 designs.

The Viet Nam Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2006 is organized by the Viet Nam Textile and Garment Corporation (Vinatex), the Fashion Design Institute (FADIN) and Mot (Mode) magazine.