Gen Z heads to Vietnam to get a new wardrobe The tailors of Hội An, iPads and Pinterest boards

In 2025, the brands that are popular among Gen Z have a rather simple, clean, and conservative style. Cotton and linen tops with boat necklines, sleeveless fitted tops but buttoned up to the collar, open backs but skirts strictly long down to the ankle. Patterns are few, prints have disappeared, and solid colors prevail among the youngest fashion lovers. For this reason, it’s easy to take a pattern or a couple of photos of what you want to a tailor, in order to get it custom-made and at a lower price compared to the figures asked by brands like Paloma Wool or Reformation. On TikTok, there are dozens of pages of Vietnamese tailor shops showcasing their creations, presented with a fun runway show by their clients — all apparently under-30 European or American travelers, while hundreds if not thousands of videos titled «Everything we got tailored in Hội An» portray endless hauls of suits, dresses, and even boots and leather goods.

Many of the accessories that travelers have made in Vietnam, such as utility fanny packs, recall the old collections of Prada and Miu Miu from the ’90s, showing how far Gen Z is willing to go around the world just to get one of those grails at a low price. Other common trends in Hội An tailor shops include babydoll dresses, jackets with asymmetric frog closures, silk slip dresses, cowboy boots, balloon skirts, co-ords, miniskirts, and mini shorts. Prices vary, but according to what’s reported on social media, a custom evening dress can cost up to €35, a co-ord around €70, and pants about €20. Some creators and users who documented their purchases on social media have been accused of having “stolen” designs from independent brands like London-based Caspar the Label, even though the pieces were only commissioned for personal use. «I had barely any data, no time and found some images on Pinterest», commented one of the creators regarding the criticism.

In short, with clothing prices skyrocketing in every store, whether fast fashion or luxury, independent or corporate, the new generations seem to prefer traveling and getting a new custom wardrobe. The ateliers of Hội An’s tailors are gaining followers and praise on TikTok, which is turning the city’s textile market into an even more profitable tourist destination than before. To the frustration of brands in Europe, who watch their customers slip away, ready to leave with empty suitcases and Pinterest boards full of looks.