From a disabled girl to a famous ao dai designer.

At the VMode fashion design training facility in Hung Loc commune, Vinh city (Nghe An province), Ms. Vo Thi Hong Vinh (born in 1983) enthusiastically introduces ao dai designs and diligently guides the trainees.

She said: “Since childhood, I have had physical disabilities that made walking difficult, so I have always strived to learn sewing and fashion design. Thanks to my passion and determination, I have become a professional ao dai designer.”

Ms. Vo Thi Hong Vinh, originally from Nghi My commune (Nghi Loc district), suffered a severe fever at the age of one, which led to muscle atrophy and paralysis in her right leg, making movement very difficult. As she grew older, she was given...orthopedic surgeryWhen moving around the house, he has to use his hand to support his right foot, and to go a little further, he has to use a cane.

Despite her physical disability and mobility difficulties, Vo Thi Hong Vinh is very studious and excels in her studies. Every day, her parents and friends take turns driving her to school. Knowing her disadvantaged circumstances, she studies even harder in the hope of a brighter future. After finishing high school, Hong Vinh received support from the Provincial Women's Union to learn tailoring.

Sewing suits her health condition, so Ms. Vo Thi Hong Vinh always strives to learn and improve her skills. The training program helped her acquire basic cutting and sewing techniques, and she boldly borrowed capital to open a tailoring business named Hong Vinh Tailor Shop to serve the needs of the local community. Thanks to her skillful techniques, she has become increasingly popular.clientWith trust in them, the tailor shop is attracting more and more customers.

Dissatisfied with her initial achievements, Hong Vinh continued her journey of learning from mentors, seeking out talented designers to improve her skills. It was through this experience that she discovered her passion for designing Vietnamese ao dai (traditional dress). "The ao dai is not only a beautiful garment but also the national costume of Vietnam. By dedicating my passion to the ao dai, I want to contribute my small part to preserving and promoting this beautiful aspect of our national culture," Hong Vinh shared.

By chance, Ms. Hong Vinh came across designer Do Trinh Hoai Nam (Hanoi) and his famous ao dai collection. She enrolled in his class and became an outstanding student. After the course, she received support in building her personal brand and a startup fund. This helped the disabled woman continue to strive, assert herself, and spread her love for ao dai to other women.

Since then, Ms. Hong Vinh has designed impressive ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dresses), which are favored by many customers. A highlight is the "Happy Rose" ao dai collection, which was showcased at the Gala Tinh Hoa.Vietnamese Ao Dai2022. Prior to that, she participated in the Nghe An province's innovative startup idea competition and made it to the top 17 finalists out of 80 businesses nationwide with her project "VMode Designer Ao Dai Chain".

In 2023, she ranked in the top 5 out of 46 projects participating in the "Women's Entrepreneurship" competition with her project "Production of designed ao dai and vocational training - prioritizing people with disabilities," organized by the Nghe An Provincial Women's Union.

"Currently, as the owner of Vmode fashion design training center, she has supported vocational training and created jobs to help disabled women earn extra income to support themselves, reducing the burden on their families and society. At the same time, she teaches design and tailoring of traditional Vietnamese dresses (áo dài) to women nationwide online. To date, she has trained approximately 100 students, helping them acquire solid skills to pursue their careers."

Ms. Nguyen Thi My Dung – President of the Women's Union of Hung Loc commune, said: “Ms. Vo Thi Hong Vinh is a disabled member who always strives to overcome challenges, and her achievements have been recognized by the Women's Union at all levels. These include a Certificate of Merit for outstanding achievements in supporting people with disabilities awarded by the Vietnam Federation of Associations for People with Disabilities in the "Rising Strong" event, and a Certificate of Merit from the Provincial Women's Union for being an exemplary disabled woman who overcame difficulties and achieved success…”