For designer Ngo Hai Dang, fashion is a bridge between heritage and modernity, where every cultural material is reborn as a vivid work of art on the runway. In just a few short years, he has made his mark with a series of profound designs, from “Thach Long Hoa Khac” (Dragon Marble Sculpture) honoring the traditional craft village of Ninh Van to “Rhythm of Coral” carrying a message of ocean conservation. Each of his creations is not merely a performance outfit but an invitation for the audience to enter into a dialogue about culture, nature, and Vietnamese identity within the rhythm of globalization.
From traditional craft villages to the international runway
Designer Ngo Hai Dang found his path in fashion through a passion for exploration and a desire to transform cultural inspiration into contemporary creations. Within just two years, he has continuously introduced unique national costumes on major beauty pageant stages.
In 2024, “Thach Long Hoa Khac” debuted at Miss Grand Vietnam, inspired by the stone-carving craft village of Ninh Van. The design became a tribute to heritage and earned him the Most Inspirational Costume Award. Later that October, he unveiled “Thang Hong Thai” (Terraced Hong Thai) at Miss National Vietnam, drawing from the beauty of the Northwest’s terraced rice fields. Through the young designer’s hands, the majestic landscape was transformed into a creation both graceful and deeply human, presented by runner-up Le Nguyen Ngoc Hang.
His success continued when “Thach Long Hoa Khac” accompanied Vietnam’s representative at Mr. World 2024 and placed in the Top 20 Best National Costume. For Hai Dang, this is clear proof that stories of local culture can truly resonate with audiences around the globe.
Creation from the oceans
Entering 2025, designer Ngo Hai Dang continued to draw inspiration from nature with “Rhythm of Coral” at Miss Cosmo Vietnam. Inspired by coral reefs—the lungs of the ocean—the costume recreated a vibrant symphony where dazzling colors moved in rhythm with the waves. Contestant Ho Nguyen Hue Anh brought the coral imagery to life, making it a radiant highlight that was both festive and deeply meaningful with its call to protect marine ecosystems.
“Rhythm of Coral” went beyond aesthetics, carrying a profound philosophy: as long as coral lives, the ocean lives. For this reason, even though it only reached the Top 45, the costume was highly praised for its humanitarian value and dynamic creativity.
Looking back, in such a short time, Hai Dang has built a series of meaningful designs, each costume like a chapter telling the story of heritage, culture, and the environment. He admits that it is his faith in ideas and love for fashion that have kept him steadfast, turning challenges into motivation to move forward.
Greenlife: Where Vietnamese culture raises is voice in an international symphony
In September 2025, “Thach Long Hoa Khac” will once again be chosen to be showcased at the Greenlife Legacy event alongside reigning Miss Charm, Rashmita Rasindran. For Hai Dang, this is a tremendous honor, as Greenlife is not only a convergence of hair artistry and fashion but also a valuable bridge bringing Vietnamese designers closer to both the public and the international community.
He shared: “Greenlife offers an opportunity for designers to spread the values of sustainable creativity, opening a space for broad cultural exchange. I hope that through it, audiences will feel more deeply the love for culture and the spirit of heritage preservation embodied in each creation.”
At Greenlife, Hai Dang is not merely presenting a costume but conveying an aspiration: to make fashion a channel for promoting the image of Vietnam, where traditional heritage meets contemporary breath and together steps onto the global stage.
Core values of consistency
To achieve today’s accomplishments, the young designer has endured many challenges. At times, he questioned whether he was mature enough, whether he had truly lived up to expectations. Yet instead of stopping, he chose to transform pressure into material for learning. “Holding firmly to faith and staying true to passion are the core values that lead to success. Talent opens the path, but perseverance is what allows us to complete the journey,” he confided.
The message he conveys is crystal clear: fashion goes beyond its function of dressing, becoming a medium to spread values, connect hearts, and spark inspiration. When a creation is conceived with true dedication, it gains the power to touch the deepest layers of emotion in its audience.
Designer Ngo Hai Dang emerges as living proof of a young generation unafraid to dream, to act, and to stay steadfast in the ideal of bringing Vietnamese culture into harmony with the global flow. To him, fashion is more than outward beauty: it is the voice of heritage, the heartbeat of nature, and the bridge linking people with the global community. And along that journey, every design he creates is not only a personal achievement but also an invitation for the world to listen to Vietnam’s proud story.
