Vietnamese spend $1.7M on buying traditional dresses 'ao dai' for Tet

Vietnamese consumers have enthusiastically embraced tradition this Tet season, with a remarkable surge in purchases of the iconic 'ao dai' long dresses. Just on e-commerce platforms alone, 245,000 of these traditional garments were snapped up for a total of VND41.5 billion (US$1.7 million). Le Cong Tuan, proprietor of two stores in Ho Chi Minh City specializing in ao dai, has witnessed a significant uptick in sales, moving 5,000 units a month both in-store and online over the past three months. This represents a fivefold increase compared to the same period last year.

Tran Nguyen and her colleague wearing ao dai and posing for a photo in January 2024. Photo provided by Tran Nguyen

Tet, Vietnam’s paramount festival, which spans from February 8th to 14th in 2024, is witnessing a preference for classic ao dai designs made from materials like linen and silk, deviating from recent years' modern iterations. The surge in demand has led many clothing and specialized ao dai outlets to experience unprecedented sales ahead of Tet.

E-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, Tiki, and Sendo have collectively sold 245,000 ao dai last month, marking a 6% increase from the previous year, according to data from Metric. Last year, these platforms hosted 2,200 sellers offering 894,000 ao dai, with those priced between VND200,000 and 500,000 being the most sought after.

Owners of ao dai brands are struggling to keep up with the demand, with some stores having to temporarily close on all platforms due to overwhelming orders. This spike in interest can be attributed in part to a viral trend on social media, where taking photos in ao dai to celebrate Tet has become increasingly popular.

Tran Nguyen, who recently purchased an ao dai for VND300,000, expressed that the price is reasonable given its aesthetic value and suitability for the traditional Tet atmosphere. In recent years, the ao dai has garnered renewed appreciation through various events and festivals, further fueled by its popularity among young people, who increasingly don the garment for special occasions and photo sessions.