Breating Life Into Tradition

On this project, I collaborated with Ao Yem Vietnam to create the Dragon Ao Yem—a wearable piece that fuses traditional Vietnamese culture with modern innovation. This project features a Vietnamese dragon intertwined with lotus flowers, symbols of strength, purity, and resilience in Vietnamese heritage. Drawing inspiration from the elegant form of the traditional Ao Yem dress, I integrated these cultural motifs using advanced 3D printing technology.

After researching various methods, I selected Stereolithography (SLA) for its precision and ability to produce detailed, smooth textures with minimal post-processing. Although some delicate parts broke during printing, I was able to restore them, resulting in a detailed, expressive sculpture. The dragon was then seamlessly integrated into the garment design, complementing Ao Yem's curved structure and honoring its classic silk and embroidery details. This piece stands as a tribute to Vietnamese tradition while embracing the future of fashion—a modern interpretation that blends art, culture, and technology into a meaningful statement of identity, empowerment, and creative expression.