Fashion in Hanoi
Many of Hanoi's most significant fashion shops are located on Hang Gai Street, running from Hang Hom Street to Luong Van Can Street, west-to-east.
The intersection of Hang Gai and Luong Van Can is GPS 21°01.904' E105°51.059'.
Along this corridor, there are several that, in our opinion, you won't want to miss.
Hang Gai Street
Tan My
66 Hang Gai Street. Tel: (04) 825-1579.
Specializing in beautiful hand embroidery, Tan My encompasses three generations of women responsible for running one of Hanoi's best commercial success stories.
Tan My was founded in 1968, when each Vietnamese person was allocated only three meters of cloth a year, to make clothing.
Owner Huong Do Thanh began working for her mother, specializing in pillowcases for newlyweds, and handkerchiefs and scarves that were given by their girlfriends to soldiers going south.
"The soldiers carried them in their front pockets, and they essentially took the place of engagement rings," says Huong.
The family fled to the country during the bombing of Hanoi, but soon returned.
Today, they employ virtually the entire village of Tu Vin, where nearly 1,000 individuals normally engaged in farming have achieved a higher standard of living.
At Tan My, you can buy beautifully embroidered women's clothes, bedspreads, pillowcases, tablecloths, and woven silk paintings.
Huong can custom-make embroidered bedclothes to fit non-standard bed sizes, and have then ready 30 days from your order.
F Silk
82 Hang Gai Street. Tel: (04) 928-6786.
Mrs. Nguyen, the manager, is close-mouthed about the designers of the fashions in this shop, but they're extraordinary.
F Silk has another Hanoi shop in the Hanoi Towers, and another on Dong Khoi Street in Saigon.
Khai Silk
96 Hang Gai Street. www.khaisilkcorp.com
Khai Silk specializes in cutting-edge fashions, and has four branches in Hanoi, five more in Ho Chi Minh City, and two in Thailand.
Designer/owner Hoang Khai oversees the creation of exceptional fashions and housewares, including cushions and table-throws.
We were impressed with the breadth of the collection, and the uniqueness of the designs.
Le Vent
115 Hang Gai Street.
Designer Lee Huyen has been designing for fewer than five years (she was a corporate lawyer before), but has created an astoundingly good collection of silk blouses, scarves, and wall hangings.
She sells everything at wholesale prices (we bought a terrific blouse for $10 off the rack) in an upmarket store.
She also owns the Lotus store a few doors to the east at 89 Hang Gai.
South of Hang Gai Street
Le Boutique and the Silk
6 Nha Tho (corner of Hang Trong Street). Tel: (04) 928-5368. www.indochina-silk.com
Here, owner Philippe Ragon has put together a decent collection of fashions utilizing tribal cloth, including indigos from the Black Hmong.
He has another shop north on Hang Trong, at number 62.
