The “ao dai” designs are part of the Ao Dai Heritage - Culture of Love project from the Golden Heritage Group, the Italian Embassy in Vietnam, the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy, and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam. The project aims to promote the “ao dai” in the international fashion market while applying the quintessence of Italian technology to the making of the Vietnamese traditional long dress. The 60 new designs were recently showcased at an event in Hanoi and are scheduled for display at shows in Rome and other famous heritage cities around the world. Italian designer Maria Elena contributed 45 designs to the collection while the remainder were from her Vietnamese counterpart Quang Hoa, who comes from Hue in central Vietnam, which has been dubbed the capital of the “ao dai”. The Italian designer plans to adjust the form of the “ao dai” and use new Italian materials to add a certain level of comfort and give the traditional outfit a more youthful, modern, and convenient appeal./.