Tiếng Việt
Story 1:
The Conical Hat Weaver
Maries’ Story…
We believe that everything in life begins with a sense of DESTINY…
“In my area, there used to be an entire village of hat weavers, but gradually, many gave up the trade, and now only a few remain.”
Ms. Vo Thi Lan, a descendant of a long-standing traditional hat weaving village, inherited the craft from her grandmother and mother. However, the demand for traditional hats has decreased over time, and many families in the village couldn’t sustain their livelihood through the trade. They had to turn to other jobs to make ends meet.
Ms. Vo Thi Lan has been the house-keeper for the family of Ms. Ho Suong Lan (CEO of Maries) for many years.
When the Covid19 pandemic came, Maries was established with the idea and desire to develop a line of conical hats using local materials. Despite there being a few hats of similar material in the market, they hadn’t gained popularity or aesthetic appeal to catch the market’s and customers’ attention.
Persisting with this product line, and aspiring to bring a traditional line of hats based on the iconic 16-rim hat (traditional Hue hat) to the market, Ms. Ho Suong Lan, Maries’ CEO, visited several traditional hat weaving villages in Hue. She searched for skilled weavers who could work with the new material, the Lepironia Grass Pad (Lepironia Grass woven into a pad). However, all efforts failed because many weavers were not accustomed to the new material, the thicker and rougher texture of the Lepironia Grass pad on the traditional wooden frame. They found it challenging as they were used to weaving the traditional Hue’s Green Leaf.
And then, fate intervened, and everything fell into place…
“I thought I would continue to help with household chores, but that day, Ms. Suong Lan returned home with a disappointed look on her face, her heart full of concern for not being able to create the envisioned design for the new conical hat line by Maries. She asked me to find a hat weaver who could work with Lepironia Grass Pad. At that moment, I told her that I could do it. And that’s how my destiny shifted from household chores to hat weaving,” Ms. Vo Thi Lan shared with a smile.
>> Explore Bang Grass Hats HERE
How Maries Changed My Life!
Born and raised in a family of conical hat weavers, Ms. Vo Thi Lan was exposed to hat weaving from the age of 10. She quickly adapted to weaving on a new material. From being a household helper, she became the person who crafted the unique and refined Lepironia Grass Conical Hats that customers now hold in their hands. From being a household helper, she became the person who crafted the unique and refined Lepironia Grass Conical Hats that customers now hold in their hands.
With increasing customer preference, Ms. Vo Thi Lan returned to train many other women in the village, aiming to increase production and provide stable income to fellow women who inherited this craft from their ancestors.
“My life has significantly changed. I get to live and work in something I am passionate about, meet new friends, learn a lot, enjoy the company’s benefits, and my life has become much more stable,” Ms. Vo Thi Lan shared.
>> See more: Lepironia Grass Handbags at Maries
She aspires to see the conical hat weaving trade flourish in the future, to bring Vietnamese hats to worldwide, and most importantly, to provide employment opportunities for those attached to this traditional craft.
Clearly, for those who love their craft, there is always a desire to sustain and develop traditional product lines. Carrying a deep sense of community love, Maries is tirelessly committed to creating positive value for the craft village community. This uplifts the quality of life for rural women, our staff, and provides both tangible and intangible values to customers, partners, and all those who are connected with Maries, contributing to its formation and continuous development.
