Story
It all started with a small
sewing machine at home.
The kind of small sewing shop once found in the old times, in small hidden alleys, locally run by one woman, with no brand name, only known by her name — like my mom's, and her last name, Tran, one of the most popular last names in Vietnam.
Little sewing shops like this might disappear very soon, like street food stalls in Vietnam. There's beauty in these shops that the new modern ones cannot replace — beauty in knowing what you do, doing what you know for decades, uniquely in your own way, leaving your signature here and there, piece by piece, slowly and quietly. No spotlight, no applause, no media hype, only word-of-mouth.
TRAN-DO was born to keep that beauty alive, to treasure the pieces made by women dressmakers, to preserve the tradition of making clothing at home with full love and passion.
The Pieces
TRAN-DO's limited designs
Each piece below is already finished, made in limited numbers, with fabric gathered from many different sources — combined with the hands that make it, no two pieces are ever quite the same.
Each name is drawn from a material, a color, or a piece of Vietnamese culture — and often, it's also a popular name for Vietnamese women. These are the same names parents choose for their daughters, carrying the hopes and wishes they hold for them, and hinting at the character of whoever wears the piece.
Founder's Words
My mom has been working as a dressmaker since she was 25. Now she is 60. She never expected me to follow her path as being a seamtress has never been easy. She has to stand half of the time to cut, to iron. Then she sits half of the time to sew. For little money. For vendors with their always-urgent orders.
Sometimes she alters people's clothing for a couple bucks. Sometimes people bring over fabric they like with ideas and she bring those ideas to life. Lots of times, she makes clothes out of love, for the family, for me as her daughter. Sometimes she just makes a piece of clothing out of curiosity and hobby, then hang it on the mannequin near her working table, full of joy and pride. Funny thing is, they are always different and creative, no two pieces are ever the same. So just like that, she and her little sewing machine keep making clothes, piece by piece, in peace.
And I want to keep that beauty alive — like how an old classic Singer sewing machine silhouette still brings up emotions for my mom whenever she spots one. It's how I feel about little sewing shops run by grandmothers, mothers and sisters all over Vietnam.
— Founder, TRAN-DO Dressmaker
Mission
Serving Vietnamese women first,
sharing their craft with the world.
Dressmaking is not just making clothing — it's a livelihood for many women, whose happiness and pride comes from pieces appreciated by their wearers. TRAN-DO wants to keep that passion and pride alive in these women.
It also wants to explore Vietnamese women's way of living and working — traditions, culture, fashion, beauty, architecture, home decor, lifestyle — in a way that resonates with the brand and the women behind it, to inspire people about the craft of making clothing by Vietnamese women, and to support keeping that tradition alive.
