The Artful Embroiderer: A Gen Z Girl’s Passion for Traditional Handiwork

In Hanoi, a young embroiderer is preserving traditional hand embroidery, an art form at risk of being forgotten in our digital age. By choosing this less-trodden path, she is not only keeping the craft alive but also ensuring that these traditional values are promoted and celebrated.

Administrator

9 December, 2024

Meet Ta Thi Tu Anh, a 25-year-old talented embroidery artisan from Dong Cuu Village in Hanoi’s Thuong Tin District. With a deep-rooted connection to the craft, she strives to balance preserving traditional embroidery techniques with infusing innovative designs into her exquisite creations.

A Love Story with Embroidery

Young Hanoi artisan, Ta Thi Tu Anh, showcases her embroidered masterpieces. Photo: The Hanoi Times

Located about 25 kilometers from the heart of Hanoi, Thuong Tin District holds a special place in Vietnam’s cultural heritage as the cradle of traditional hand embroidery. This village specializes in creating ceremonial garments, once worn by royalty during the feudal era.

Today, the artisans of Dong Cuu Village focus their talents on crafting ceremonial tunics and headscarves with intricate designs. These are worn by priests and priestesses during sacred Dao Mau rituals and when worshipping Mother Goddesses.

Tu Anh, born and raised in a family with a long embroidery tradition, was surrounded by vibrant threads and ceremonial garments as a child. This unique upbringing instilled in her a deep respect for the craftsmanship and dedication that goes into every detail of their creations.

Despite initial aspirations to pursue a career in tourism, Tu Anh found herself drawn back to the embroidery craft she loved. Like a thread of fate, her dynamic personality and passion for exploration merged with her village’s rich cultural identity.

“After immersing myself in different traditional cultures, I realized that the embroidered treasures of my home and village held a wealth of national cultural identity,” Tu Anh shared. “I felt a profound responsibility to carry on the legacy that my ancestors had diligently preserved for generations.”

The ceremonial tunics and headscarves crafted by Tu Anh and her team are available for purchase at her shop in Dong Cuu Village, Thuong Tin District, Hanoi.

However, the road to preserving this ancient craft is not without its challenges, especially for a young artisan like Tu Anh. She must carefully navigate the delicate balance between honoring traditional embroidery techniques and motifs while also incorporating her own creative vision.

“Blending tradition with modernity is a delicate dance,” she explained. “Unconventional designs can sometimes fail to resonate with customers. Finding a way to create fresh, innovative pieces without losing the soul of our heritage requires constant research and a deep understanding of our craft.”

Igniting an Embroidery Revolution on Social Media

As a member of Generation Z, Tu Anh recognizes that preserving traditional techniques is only part of the equation for true development. Promoting these timeless crafts on a larger scale is equally crucial.

Leveraging her social media savvy, she has successfully built a personal brand across platforms like Facebook and TikTok. Her creative images and videos, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the ceremonial garment-making process, have garnered significant engagement and attention.

An intricate dragon embroidery piece crafted by the talented hands of Tu Anh.

“When we first started advertising our products on these platforms, they were relatively unknown to the wider audience,” Tu Anh recalled. “But once people saw the quality and beauty of our scarves and shirts, we began receiving inquiries from customers all over the country, who then shared our creations with others.”

As a result, their reach expanded far beyond the local market. Thanks to the power of digital media, their products are now cherished in numerous provinces and cities across Vietnam, even finding their way into the hands of international customers.

Nguyen The Nhan, a fellow embroiderer from Dong Cuu craft village, shared his admiration for Tu Anh’s dedication: “Few young people choose to stay in the countryside and devote themselves to traditional handicrafts as Tu Anh has. Her commitment to experimenting with new designs and actively promoting our craft on digital platforms has brought the beauty of Dong Cuu embroidery to a wider audience.”

A breathtaking costume, crafted with precision and creativity, used in Dao Mau rituals and the worship of Mother Goddesses in Vietnam. Photo courtesy of artisan Tu Anh.

Tu Anh’s journey is a testament to the power of youth in preserving traditional values while infusing creativity and relevance into age-old crafts. To inspire her generation, Tu Anh believes in a two-pronged approach: fostering a sense of responsibility among young people to appreciate, protect, and utilize their local heritage, and encouraging artisans to embrace open-mindedness and mentor their younger successors.

“Combining tradition with modernity is the key to unlocking new directions for traditional craft villages to thrive in the long term,” she asserted.