Amid the hustle and bustle of urban life, there is a place that quietly preserves the scent of memories – that is the Southern Folk Cake Festival. And among the crowd heading to Can Tho this April, designer Nguyen Minh Cong and Miss Kieu Duy are like two birds carrying brilliant dreams. Not just ambassadors of a festival, they are the bridge between modernity and tradition, between the stage lights and the rural fragrance found in every ao dai and every piece of cake.
Call from the memory land – The journey home not just with the feet, but also the heart
Three years, three festival seasons, and a heart that has never stopped yearning for home – that is the journey of Nguyen Minh Cong. He is still called the “designer of princesses” for his dreamy appearance and collections that resemble fairy tales. However, few know that behind the flowing tulle dresses lies a soul soaked in alluvial soil, where childhood was woven with rural markets, the sound of bánh lọt and bánh đúc vendors echoing in the summer noon.
This year, when he returns as an inspirational ambassador, alongside Miss National Vietnam 2024 Kieu Duy, the festival is infused with a new breath of life. They are not here to perform, but to return as children coming back to their mother, quietly carrying their love for the land, for the people, and for the simplest things that time has yet to fade.
“Ve Nha Ut Oi” – A collection not only for wearing, but also for reminiscence
No dazzling spotlights, no grand stage, “Ve Nha Ut Oi” (Dear, Please Come Home) steps forward like a soft whisper, like a warm call from an old wooden stove. Ten designs are ten slices of memories from the Mekong Delta: the ba ba blouse fluttering in the wind, the checkered scarf soaked in a mother’s sweat, or the simple leaf sandals that have crossed countless seasons of flooding.
The materials of dupioni silk, Lanh My A, banana fibers, and raffia palm are not just fabrics; they are symbols of craftsmanship, of the diligent nurturing of folk values. Each step the model takes is a gentle paddle on a small river, bringing the viewer back to a beloved Mekong Delta without the need for maps or introductions. “Ve Nha Ut Oi” doesn’t impress with glamour, but moves people to silence with emotion – a pure, simple emotion just like its very name.
Festivals – Where cakes are filled with fragrances of memories, fashion raising the story of homelands
The Southern Folk Cake Festival 2025 is not only a gathering of more than 200 booths and hundreds of artisans from all regions but also a vibrant canvas of culture, cuisine, and the warmth of the people. In this painting, Nguyen Minh Cong and Kieu Duy appear as two gentle brushstrokes – one who breathes the soul of the countryside into each fold of fabric, and the other who brings the golden light of Vietnamese beauty, filled in a smile.
They don’t make the festival “fashionable”, but make fashion into a… festival. The steps on the runway are not just a performance; they are a story – a story about the people of the Mekong Delta with kind eyes, skilled hands, and hearts as open as the Tien and Hau Rivers.
Family – the rear of an artist’s heart
Few people know that during his three years as ambassador, Nguyen Minh Cong has always had the presence of his parents beside him – those who silently accompany him like the areca tree in front of the gate, like the oil lamp in the night. They do not appear on stage, but are always present behind the scenes, quietly folding clothes, fixing hair, and offering a warm smile when their son is applauded.
With Cong, that presence is not only a spiritual support but also the reason for him to return – not just for the homeland, but for the loved ones there. “Every time I return, I see the pride shining in my parents’ eyes, I feel the love for the homeland in every gaze from the villagers. That is what makes me know I am doing the right thing” he said.
Amid the relentless flow of time, there are things that seem small but are the pillars of memory. The 2025 Southern Folk Cake Festival has achieved this – thanks to people like Nguyen Minh Cong and Kieu Duy. No need for elaborate praise, it is their quiet and sincere way of spreading culture that has made everything more profound. And amidst the modern streets, “Ve Nha Ut Oi” is like a lullaby… making the heart slow down, and softly smile when recalling the homeland.
Rose | Cameron Truong
