By Tam Nguyen, Nguoi Viet
Food. Fashion. Fundraising. What better way is there to spend an afternoon?
Two of the models during the fashion show
They all came together at “My Life, My Style, My Ao Dai,” a fashion show designed to raise money to help fight teen pregnancies in Vietnam. Hosted by 9021Pho Restaurant and held at the Glendale Galleria, the event showcased Vietnamese women of all ages wearing the traditional ao dai.
“We are here to help educate women in Vietnam so they have more information about reproductive health,” said Quinn Tran of the VA NGO Network, one of the organizers of the event.
Each year in Vietnam, females between ages 15 and 19 undergo about 300,000 abortions, according to statistics. In Saigon alone, abortions among teens number 3,000 annually, Tran said. Vietnam has the highest number of abortions in South Asia and ranks fifth in the world, organizers said.
Young adults show off their ao dai
The event, held Sunday, also presented a chance to spotlight health issues of women in the United States, showing women how to eat well to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Chef Kimmy Tang
Chef Kimmy Tang of 9021Pho is widely considered a pioneer in Asian fusion cuisine with more than three decades of culinary experience. The restaurant caters to the health-conscious diner and features Asian recipes with French influences and California-inspired flair. Vietnamese cuisine is known to be among the world’s healthiest foods, primarily due to its use of fresh herbs, vegetables and seafood.
“Food is our everyday life, and we want the community to know Vietnamese food is the third-most healthy food in the world,” Tran said. “We learn to adopt and eat a healthy lifestyle everyday and Vietnamese food can be part of your diet.”
The event gave Vietnamese women a chance to wear their ao dai, as well, putting a focus on women and their styles. The ao dai is a tight-fitting silk tunic worn over pantaloons.
“The ao dai…looks beautiful for whoever wears it,” Tran said.
Tang said she envied the women who could bring out their ao dai for the evening.
The young generations and their ao dai
“When I wear the ao dai, it feels feminine because I am a tomboy kind of person,” she said. “I wanted to wear one tonight but I can’t because I have to be in the kitchen.”
(Left to right) Cathy Lam, Chef Kimmy Tang, and Quinn Tran
Hoai Sang Nguyen designed the ao dai modeled in the fashion show. Nguyen stressed that all women, not just those Vietnamese descent, can wear the ao dai.
Designer Hoai Sang Nguyen and models display their Vietnamese dress
“This dress is not only for Vietnamese women,” Nguyen said. “Every woman can wear this dress and look beautiful.”
Designer Hoai Sang Nguyen
The goal of the event for the VA NGO Network, which works to strengthen humanitarian and development work in Vietnam, was to raise $20,000 on the event. While a final total was not available, “we are getting close to our goal,” Tran said.
It is not too late to donate or to learn more about the VA NGO Network. Go to www.dev.va-ngo.org for more information.
