(VOVWORLD) - With skillful hands, artist Nguyen Hoang Anh of Hanoi creates dolls dressed in the traditional costumes of Vietnam's ethnic groups. Through his work, he hopes to spread the beauty of Vietnamese culture and people to international friends.
 Hoang Anh works on the conical hat for his “Lien Anh-Lien Chi” doll set. (Photo: VTC News) |
Although he’s not the first to make dolls in Vietnam, Hoang Anh is known for his charming ethnic dolls, which are sold at airport shops and souvenir shops in Hanoi's Old Quarter.
Hoang Anh came up with the idea of making dolls in ethnic costumes after noticing the lack of diversity in Vietnam’s doll market. He wanted to add traditional Vietnamese costumes to dolls so international friends could learn about Vietnamese culture.
Hoang Anh spent two years learning about the cultural traditions and characteristics of each ethnic group – and their costumes. He lived with them, listened to their stories, and observed how they dressed to get inspiration for his products. For him, the dolls are a combination of fashion and art.
“At ethnic markets and festivals, each group wears different attire, creating a colorful harmony. I translate it into my dolls, making sure they truly reflect the character of each ethnic group. Traveling to many areas and observing their costumes first hand helps me stay true to what I create," said Hoang Anh.
Making a doll involves studying the style and material, fashioning the doll from a composite material, shaping the doll’s face and applying makeup, and then sewing a costume and all its accessories.
"Sometimes I feel dissatisfied and have to start over. Making the miniature ethnic costumes is difficult. Each ethnic group has its own costume with unique typical patterns. On a small doll, I must decide which elements best represent each culture,” Hoang Anh said.
 Hoang Anh creates 60 outfits representing 46 different ethnic groups, along with many traditional costumes from various regions of Vietnam. (Photo: VTC News) |
Hoang Anh now has about 5,000 dolls wearing the costumes of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. The dolls come in two sizes – 25cm and 35cm. He said the Ta Oi use beaded brocade fabric. The Dao apply beeswax to their fabric before dyeing it, and their long jackets feature elaborate embroidery. The short jacket of Muong women is worn open at the chest to reveal a colorful brocade undergarment, while Mong women wear multi-layered skirts made using a distinctive reverse embroidery technique.
Hoang Anh said that, without his careful research into each ethnic group’s cultural traditions, it would be impossible for the doll to capture the spirit of each group. "The first doll I made was a Mong girl in a flared skirt, but I forgot to add the leg wraps they wear for better grip when hiking. I later realized how essential they are to the overall costume. Similarly, I struggled with wrapping the red scarf for the Red Dao doll. Fortunately, the Dao people guided me, helping me to replicate it accurately."
It takes 4 to 6 hours to decorate a doll. Hoang Anh has meticulously recreated thousands of outfits for the Dao, Mong, Thai, Tay, Ha Nhi, and Lo Lo. While some details are impossible to replicate exactly, most elements remain true to the original, using traditional fabrics from the ethnic communities.
 (Photo: VTC News) |
"Since each doll is handmade, nearly everything is crafted manually. To make a necklace for a doll requires finding the right material to match the outfit. The embroidery on the dress is done by the ethnic artisans themselves on large fabric pieces, which I then carefully cut and adapt for the miniature dresses," Hoang Anh said.
Hoang Anh plans to include information about each ethnic group, such as population, geographical distribution, and customs, in both Vietnamese and English, to help preserve and promote Vietnamese culture.