Maerk research ellen nature can give. Completely absent af artificial or toxic materials, WeWood mode ure is all so natural and beskaffenhed as the wrist, which carries it. Your WeWood see the spirits of the same air, we indånder, respect vores skin, respecting the nature of that support sophisticated bæredygtighed. So live as nature, your timer optager your feelings and share your experienced and can vaekke minder from a candidate time and place.
Leaders from the APEC member economies dress up Vietnamese traditional tunics (ao dai) for a group photo at the closing ceremony of the two-day 14th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting yesterday in Hanoi, Vietnam. -CHINANEWS.com.cn
Chinese President Hu Jintao was in blue, host Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet in yellow, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in red and the Philippines’ Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in pink. All have shined when dressing up Vietnamese traditional tunics (ao dai) for a group photo at the closing ceremony of the two-day 14th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting yesterday.
At the tree-covered Van Tue Island in the new ship-shaped National Convention Center’s campus, most of leaders from the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in elegant silk “ao dai” with golden lotus flower patterns lined up for the photo, which is considered symbol of the solidarity in the Asia-Pacific region.
The leaders slipped the “ao dai”, designed in five bright colors and decorated with lotus flowers — a Vietnamese traditional symbol of nobleness and purity over their businesses suits, giving a look of prestige and dignity. The APEC “ao dai” come in blue, red, yellow and green for male leaders, while women ones had a choice of pink.
Leaders of South Korea and Singapore looked relaxed in red, others from China, the United States, Russia and Japan went blue, and those from Vietnam and Thailand in yellow, and Brunei and Papua New Guinea in green. Meanwhile, three female leaders from the Philippines, News Zealand and Chile got charmer in pink dress and velvet turbans.
It is a tradition for leaders to wear costumes bearing the symbol of host members of APEC for the closing group photo at annual meetings. Last year, they wore silk overcoat, “durumagi”, in South Korea. Previously, they donned short-sleeved silk shirts in Thailand, silk jackets in China, and batik shirts in Indonesia.
To dress leaders at the meeting this year, host Vietnam chose the “ao dai” motif designed by Minh Hanh, one of the country’s top designers and vice director of the Vietnam Fashion Design Institute (FADIN).
“Ao dai”, fitted long robe with two-side slits up to the waist being worn over silk white trousers, is considered a symbol of Vietnamese intangible culture, helping to flatter local women’s beauty, figure and charm. The garments are now popular for local women, mostly in special occasions such as weddings, ceremonies and festivals.
Hanh and her workers spent over eight months on the costume, from creating high-quality silk for the garments to drawing up 32 different patterns to woven into the cloth.
“Over the past eight months, we have had worked all day and night for the costumes, and they have experienced close scrutiny. When the design was officially chosen, government officials, led by former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, closely scrutinized them twice. And, around a week ago, State President Nguyen Minh Triet made the final scrutiny,” she said.
“Finally, the lotus design was chosen, as lotus flowers symbolize the beauty and culture of Vietnamese people,” she said, adding that the lotus flower motifs were lively woven in the three-dimension technique to create a special damask silk.
The local Toan Thinh Silk Company had to spend more than five months producing the delicate cloth, she said, adding that the silk selected for the leader’s costumes has to be stiffer than common ones, as they are worn over their suits.
To ensure the honored guests to satisfy with “ao dai”, the FADIN had to send them the drawings of “ao dai” and its requests for their fashion parameters, and present five colors of the costume for their choice.
“I believe that the costumes will satisfy the leaders. Some elder people told me that, in the evening of Nov. 19, billions of people in the world will see the traditional costume wearing etiquette of APEC leaders on TV, and they will partly understand Vietnam’s soul. So, I’m very nervous,” Hanh was recently quoted assaying by local newspaper Youth.
Now, Hanh’s worries must have vanished without trace, since the leaders’ appearance in her elaborate “ao dai” design has not only showed off Vietnam’s traditional culture, but also promoted the country’s image to the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large.
Xinhua News
The new buzz word these days is the `metrosexual man`. The prefix `metro` is used to describe this man because he`s usually the product of an urban environment. These men aren`t afraid to shop for clothes or spend time in the hair salon to get a cool do. Metrosexuals care about grooming: they get waxed, manicured and have a regular skin care regime. This new generation of straight boys who have a gay sense of fashion have harobji`s everywhere shaking their heads in disgust. What ever became of the `man`s man`? laments one older gentleman. `Back in our day, we had war and were fighting to survive and put food on the tables. Now all the boys have gone soft. Pretty soon they will be wearing makeup! Aya!`
And wearing make-up they are indeed! Men`s cosmetics are already on the market and sell especially well in Korea. Even though this may seem shocking, alot of ladies are pleased that men are finally giving a damn about how they look. One girl even goes as far as to say: `Fashion is the answer to world peace. If men spent more time thinking about which belt goes with thier shirt, they would have less time to think about blowing each other up!`
The metrosexual man is the ultimate product of the modern times. Let`s see what the metrosexuals are wearing in Korea! We invite your comments whether they be scathing or complimentary. e-mail me liza@seoulstyle.com
 |  |  |  |  |
Confessions of a Closet Metrosexual.
By: Christopher Dore
