Ho Chi Minh City's Fashion Scene: From Factory Hub to Cultural Exporter

District 1, the heart of Ho Chi Minh City-still called Saigon by many-has evolved from the administrative core of French Indochina into a luxury corridor packed with boutiques, galleries, and high-end restaurants. Over the past decade, it has also become the clearest showcase for Vietnam's fashion shift, moving the country from a manufacturing base for global brands to a cultural exporter.

A younger generation of designers is drawing on street culture, contemporary art, and heritage textiles. Domestic labels like Latui Atelier and Lsoul have appeared on celebrities such as Katy Perry and Blackpink's Jennie, while the city itself now draws international shoppers. Vietnam's fast-growing economy and a population where more than half is under 35 are fueling this creative wave.

Multibrand retailers lead the scene. Rue Miche, often compared to Dover Street Market, added a 50,000-square-foot flagship in late 2025 and now carries nearly 90 Vietnamese labels. Compound Garment, a sustainability-focused concept store, houses 22 local brands across two shophouses, offering oversized, gender-fluid, streetwear-inflected designs. The New Playground, operating since 2017, spans two District 1 locations with over 70 labels.

Indie standouts include Gia Studios, run by fourth-generation tailor Lâm Gia Khang, who blends traditional Lãnh Mỹ A silk with modern cuts; the label has been worn by Zoe Saldaña and Emma Stone. Tom Trandt's Môi Điên offers pleated, sculptural, gender-fluid pieces rooted in folk imagery and dead stock textiles. Mêman, by photographer Thiên Minh, reworks the men's áo dài for everyday wear using Japanese linen.

Newer rebels include Duc Studio, whose motto is "Keep Fashion Weird," known for voluminous, deconstructed pieces and a puffy bag spotted on Bella Hadid. Lsoul, by Nguyn Trng Lâm, focuses on hyperfeminine glam with corsetry and lace, worn by Blackpink and Madison Beer. Victim of the Prime, launched in 2022, offers clean, gender-neutral clothing under the slogan "We're All Victims of Something Bigger Than Us."

This article appeared in the September/October 2026 issue of Condé Nast Traveler.