As a country of tailoring becomes a country of brands —— Ho Chi Minh City, the sound of sewing machines and the light of trends

When you live in Ho Chi Minh City, you notice that your sense of distance with clothing is a little different from Japan. That's because here, just as much as "buying clothes," the option to "have them tailored" ordinarily exists. If you bring in some fabric, the tailor's shop in your neighborhood will turn it into a garment. A few days later, clothes that fit your own body come back to you. …And this is what moves me.

⚫️ Even a rough sketch gets the idea across. People often say it's cheap too, but when it comes to whether the fabric itself is dirt cheap—not really. And choosing the fabric is a labyrinth. The market is piled high with dizzying mountains of cloth. The moment you think, "This is lovely!", you cool down and go, "No, maybe it's too flashy?", and you flip through yet another bolt of cloth. You have to negotiate with the shop owner, and conveying your design never goes perfectly either. But there are colors and textures you can't find in Japan, so there's a real joy in choosing. And the tailoring—sometimes it fails. But sometimes it succeeds in unexpected ways. And that, again, is what makes it fun... above all, clothes that fit your own body perfectly just feel wonderful. Once you've known this feeling, you feel a little freer than back when you were fitting your body to ready-made clothes.

⚫️ A bag of food next to the sewing table... so typically Vietnam~ Another dress was finished today. One made for my Tet holiday trip. Since my husband and I are both regular customers, she really understands our tastes. …That said, it's not perfect. This time, the pockets turned out smaller than I'd expected. These days, a large pocket big enough to hold a phone is pretty much the default, isn't it? Being able to have clothes tailored to your own taste like this is, in today's Japan, quite a luxury, I think. But in Ho Chi Minh City, it still remains a part of everyday life. It makes me suddenly wonder — wasn't it like this in Japan too, long ago? Back in the Showa era, there were dressmaking shops in town, and people called "seamstresses" would work the sewing machines. Neighbors would often come by to ask, "Could you fix this up a little?" Clothes weren't yet "things for mass consumption" — they were "things made within the fabric of daily life.

⚫️ I love polka dots. Retro ones especially. Right now, Vietnam is holding on to its tailoring culture while rapidly heading toward a society of "brand consumption." The younger generation instantly picks up global trends through social media, and homegrown brands are gaining momentum too. Shops run by foreign designers have increased quite a lot as well. Until a little while ago, I used to grumble at Vietnamese ready-made tailored clothes, going "Why this shape~?" and "You're putting a slit right here?" but lately that has turned into "Wait? This is cool!!" I'm often surprised by the bold, innovative designs. My, the young folks must be having fun. New designs keep pouring in, and for anyone who loves fashion it's simply irresistible. Salaries are gradually rising too, so I suppose an era where people can freely choose their clothes is arriving. Maybe it's precisely because this country has a foundation in sewing that such daring designs can come together. I often see tourists picking up Vietnamese brands, too. If you search on social media, you'll find heaps of popular brands. If you're into it, do go and explore. For example, a brand like this one. It looks like it could work in Japan too, for both work and everyday wear. https://libeworkshop.com/ The quiet hum of a tailor's sewing machine, and designer shops selling the "now." Those two coexist in the same city. Ho Chi Minh City really has such power~ I can only marvel at it. Relocation Life Ranking