Are you going to Vietnam in order to buy clothes with popular world famous brand names?
Certainly not (recommended)!
Trendy or brand name clothes are often sold at an outrageous price, even for some with the tag “made in Vietnam” on it. Imagine the import tax + Vietnam sale tax + the supreme rental cost in Vietnam added all together. So what advice there is for those hunting for some good new pants or tees?
In Vietnam, clothes are sold in three main areas, including shopping centers, local markets, and small shops along streets. If you have nothing to worry about your purse and care much about the quality of your clothes, it is advisable to orient towards shopping malls, nowhere else.
Shopping malls are located mostly in big cities in Vietnam, namely Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hai Phong, Danang and the likes. In shopping malls, apart from high-end clothes, you still have a chance to grasp clothes of your taste with reasonable prices and of good quality, which are of Vietnamese popular domestic brands such as Blue Exchange, N&M, Canifa and Ninomaxx. Nem is a Vietnamese brand but its price is as costly as other international brands (expect $70 for a decent dress). Prices in shopping malls are fixed, thus your obsession with bargaining would be completely eliminated.
To save your money, it is suggested to go to local markets and make full use of your smile and bargaining tips to get the best deal. Almost all clothes items sold at local markets are made in China with low quality. Moreover, almost all shops in local markets have no place for you to try on clothes, so it could be quite inconvenient to find your best suit. Yet, sometimes, luckily, you could catch clothes of acceptable quality and in trendy designs. Just keep in mind that you have rights to bargain and you should not miss the chance to do that.
Saigon Square in Ho Chi Minh City and Nga Tu So Market in Hanoi are favorite local markets for shop lovers. Yet, as foreigners, you had better to avoid going to Nga Tu So Market because only local shopping experts could survive with bargains in this market.
If you are not fond of local markets, its ambience as well as its inconvenience, clothing shops scattering on streets could meet your demands. Shops with Made in Vietnam signboards would be your ideal choice as their clothes are of quite good materials, in elegant designs and at reasonable prices. Better still, they have your size as almost all of their products are made for exporting.
Below are some addresses of some authentic Made in Vietnam shops in Hanoi: 58 Ba Trieu, 7A Cha Ca, 20 Hang Thung, 56 Quan Thanh, 193 Giang Vo, 65 Tran Nhan Tong, 266 Tay Son, 162 Ton Duc Thang, 89 Cau Giay, 275 Bach Mai, M2 55C Ly Thuong Kiet…
Shops of Vietnamese names or with English names that sound funny such as” Boys”, “Vietnamese Name+ Mode”, “Vietnamese name+ Fashion” and the likes often display and sell clothes made in China, and the quality as well as the price are also “better” than those sold at local markets.
Yet, in some shops, despite of their showy façade, their clothes are no more than a collection of clothes sold at local markets. Vietnamese popular domestic bands also have their own stores laid on crowded streets.