Hmoob Zam Zung: Mong People’s fashion brand

Hmoob Zam Zung - where tradition and modernity intersect

“From a young age, my mother and sisters in the village taught me sewing, making my first Mong people’s dresses”. “Perhaps, my love for traditional costumes also started from there”, Ms. Trang Thi Dung shared, her voice filled with nostalgia. Traditional clothing has been a part of her life throughout her childhood and from her childhood memories, Dung has cherished the dream of bringing the beauty of Mong traditional clothing beyond the confines of her village. Five years ago, the “Hmoob Zam Zung” brand was born, marking a turning point in the young woman’s creative journey. Instead of completely restoring the original designs, Ms. Dung dedicated her efforts to innovation, adhering to the principle of preserving the characteristic patterns and motifs of the brocade while innovating the styles, colors and materials so that the ethnic costumes can enter modern life while still retaining their traditional cultural spirit.

She shared: “I chose to incorporate traditional Mong patterns, motifs and materials into my new designs to both preserve and create”. I love beauty, I love fashion and I especially love the charm of my ethnic costumes. Therefore, I want to create many different dress designs so that everyone who wears them can see the unique beauty of the Mong people and feel proud of their traditional culture. “I’m so happy that more and more young people are falling in love with modern, innovative outfits; it makes me believe that the path I’m taking is the right one”.

Spreading love for Mong people’s culture among young people

More than just a designer, Trang Thi Dung is also a person who spreads the cultural values ​​of the Mong people to the community. In 2025, she will be the costume sponsor for the “Mong New Year on the Streets” program, an annual cultural event that brings together hundreds of Mong students in Hanoi capital. The innovative dresses and outfits she designed, showcased at the event, contributed to a vibrant and youthful cultural spectacle that still retained its rich identity. “I want young people, when they wear Mong traditional clothing, to not only feel beautiful but also proud of their heritage”, she shared.

Speaking about today’s young generation, Ms. Dung expressed her confidence: “Young people now are very proactive and creative”. Instead of simply following tradition, they know how to bring national culture into modern life in many innovative ways. I believe that with this spirit, our culture will be preserved and developed forever”.

For Ms. Trang Thi Dung, creating ethnic fashion is not simply a business, but also to be a responsibility and pride. Each product from “Hmoob Zam Zung” is meticulously crafted by the owner, from the design and fabric selection to every stitch and bead as a way of telling the story of the Mong people in the integration time.

Looking back on her journey, Ms. Dung is proud to have continued the tradition of her grandmothers and mothers, bringing the essence of national culture into each garment. Thanks to their skillful hands and creative spirit, Mong culture has taken on a new, youthful and modern appearance while still retaining its deep-rooted identity.

From a young girl growing up in the forest mountains of Dien Bien province to the founder of a Mong fashion brand in Hanoi capital, Trang Thi Dung’s journey is a vivid testament to the spirit of young people working in culture who know how to preserve their ethnic cultural roots through creativity. “I only hope that every young person will always be proud of and love their traditional ethnic clothing. Because it’s not just clothes, but a part of their cultural identity, a sign of their ethnicity”.