On March 31 evening, Italian and international friends at the opening of the Vietnam-Italy Year 2023 were impressed by shows of Vietnam’s traditional long dress which were inspired by Italy’s heritage sites and designed by Minh Hanh. 

Earlier on March 29, "Silk Talk", which was held at the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy, not only introduced products of the Vietnamese silk industry but also the history and techniques of Vietnamese silk production, to representatives from the fashion and beauty industries, experts in sustainable agriculture production and Italian press.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Duong Hai Hung affirmed that Vietnam has a centuries-old silk weaving craft. He hoped that the event would enable Vietnamese silk products to further penetrate Italian and European markets.

Huynh Tan Phuoc, Chairman of Vietnam Silk House, expressed his hope that via the event, the Italian press and fashion companies would be more interested in Vietnamese silk products, thus promoting cultural, trade and tourism connectivity between the two countries.

A Vietnamese silk fashion show (Photo: VNA)

With its strength in hand-woven silk, which is still rare in the global fashion industry, Bao Loc city from the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong introduced its silk products to the warm welcome of fashion experts and professional units in Italy.

According to the World Bank, Vietnam is a major silk manufacturer and ranks second globally in terms of raw silk exports. The Vietnamese silk has also established its position among the world's top-quality silk products. The sericulture and silk weaving craft has long been an important traditional economic activity of Vietnamese people. Silk production is currently a spearhead industry in many Vietnamese provinces where there are favourable conditions for the sustainable development of silk production and silk-based products./.