WILL LIVING WITH “LESS” DOMINANT VIETNAMESE LIFEST YLE ?
THU VU ANH While there has been no agreement upon the originality of the term “Minimalism” as well as its definition, it is undeniable that minimalism is having its influence in all spheres, noticeably, in art, architecture, interior design, fashion and an increasing wave of a lifestyle which has so far been acknowledged as “Minimal Living”. I have my first encounter with minimalism from fashion study and research. Initially, I (and a majority of my fashion counterparts and other people I assume) considered minimalism was merely a trend which would probably be dismissed early as the fashion industry which has becoming increasingly dodgy seducing consumer by the “on-trend” and “must-have” effect. In contrast to my prediction, minimalism fashion did not expire after one season as how a “trend” supposed to. Specifically in Vietnam, it is witnessed that minimalism has incredibly extends in multiple dimensions, including a permanent practice in lifestyle. This phenomenon attracts my interest on the topic Following further research, I have noticed that minimalism and decluttering movements in lifestyle and society has the tendency to emerge in society with dominance of materialism like the U.S in addition to my observation of the minimal movement nowadays in Vietnam, especially in HCMC drives me to the question “Will living with “less” dominate Vietnamese lifestyle ?”
It is the shift in culture value that breeds new art movement. Minimalism, is surely, not an exception. The term was initially labeled to an art movement that attained public attention during the 1960s in America (Varnedoe, 2006). People in the 60s looked at a new form of art that takes reduction to the extreme that it was almost nothing to look at during that time, from Frank Stella’s “what you see is what you see” stripe painting to minimal objects installation of Judd, Morris, and Andre in the mid-late 60s filled by merely dumb boxes and labeled with negative terms such as “cold”, “flat”, “empty”, “unforgiving”. In contrast to what happened in the world of art, it was the most dramatic and exciting period in American history during that time of all the uncertainty in politics and society, those of political assassinations, protests, sexual revolution, rising tide of materialism, gap between the rich and the poor got widening (Baas and Jacquelynn, 2006). Ajahn Sumedho (1998), cited in Buddha Mind In Contemporary Art by Baas and Jacquelyn, points out when the meaning of reality to us is nothing but materialism, we have the tendency to dismiss our emotions because they are subjective.
Figure 1 - The Marriage Of Reasons And Squarlor II, enamel painting by Frank Stella, 1959
Figure 2 - Untitled, sculptor by Donald Judd 1966
Figure 3 - Increase in American purchase for “experiences”
Today, America has long been associated with materialistic values and consumerism culture, also what is so-called the American dream concept which has becoming more and more materialistic. However, at the same time, a survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Everbrite in 2014 also statistically conclude that millennial generation are shifting from purchasing material goods to purchasing experiences
This is similar to the growth in minimalist movement in Japan where people are increasingly living the motto of “less is more”. “These minimalists buck the norm in a fervently consumerist society by dramatically paring back their possessions” (Reuters, 2016). The emerging lifestyle of the new generation in American society nowadays reminiscents what happened fifty years ago: the emerge of minimalism art movement that inerts to the face of a society that based on “sensual pleasure, material wealth, and rational thinking, so that the spiritual life to many people seems to be just an illusion” in the word of Sumedho. The similar trend is making its way to Vietnam (as well as other countries in Southeast Asia), where millennial accounts for thirty percent of the population (nielsen, 2016). Nielsen stated that “While they’re years from fully established themselves, they’re already having a marked impact on the local consumer and workforce landscape.”
It could be easily observed right from the street, especially those of the first dynamic cities such as HCMC, Vietnamese society is made of diversity and chaos. In 2014, a photo book edited by Michael Waibel and Henning Hilbert entitled “TP Ho Chi Minh: Mega city” consisted of 8 chapters covering the rapid urban development of HCMC due to significant influences of globalization on multiple aspects of the city. It reveals the multi-faces of the first mega city of Vietnam with poverty area and rural living standard characterized in many small alleys (hem) coexisting with skyscrapers containing flushy rooftop bars and lounges. Along the canal in District 4 (Ben Van Don street) there are condos of premium living class being constructed closely to slump area on the other side of the canal. The most recent to-go place of Vietnamese consumers in HCMC - Saigon Center featuring first Takashimaya department store in Vietnam carrying more high-end brands into the market, is located opposite Saigon Square - a deconstructed building trading low-end and unlabeled low priced clothing and wearable pieces
Figure 4 - House wall, Thu Thiem, district 2 Photographed by Henning Hilbert, 2009
In addition, according to World Bank (2016) one third of Vietnam population (approximately 30 million people) falls into ‘poor ’ or ‘near poor ’ group. However, it can be inferred so far the growth in Vietnamese consumption for luxury goods from the presences of top luxury fashion brands including Hermes, Bottega Veneta, Chanel, to name but a few, in the city for years with glorious visual merchandise located at the best spots of the city, and local luxury multi-brands retailer - Runway has already operated their fourth stores in HCMC retailing clothing and accessories brands that cost up to 2 digits something thousand of dollar per piece. Fast fashion also making remarkable profits in Vietnam. Zara is unofficially reported to break the record with that VND 5.5 billion (US$246,000) on its first day’s trading on September 8 in Ho Chi Minh City on InsideRetail Asia (2016). Following their rival, H&M has announced their establishment of firststore in Vietnam during 2017. These are but a few indicators of the dynamic consumerism in Vietnam. Nonetheless, as a duplication of American society in the 60s and nowadays, Vietnamese society is being witnessed a growing trend of stripped-down, anti-materialism lifestyle within the dynamism and fervently consumerist society.
Figure 5 - Flappy Bird is a gaming application with simple visual design as well as playing technique yet stormed the download chart of Android and iOS making Nguyen Ha Dong a remarkable achievement in his life
The most dramatic success of application of the mantra “less is more” that shocked Vietnamese society must be 3 years ago when 32 years old Bird-man Nguyen Ha Dong and his “simple to do but hard to master” concept game Flappy Bird. Nguyen, since the success as well as the scandalous deletion of Flappy Bird, he did not only become a star among Vietnamese tech geek community but he also has significant influence among the general community of Vietnamese youth.
The interesting thing is what drew massive discussions and endless arguments in this case was not only the game that stormed Google Play and Appstore but the man himself, his decision of deleting the apps not because of any legal issue but because it destroyed his simple life and he hated it as what he exclusively told Forbes in 2014 - the only interview he gave since the Flappy Bird universal phenomenon. What Nguyen has done and his modest attitude and life goal which is “to make game and have freedom to do what I want” to me was an awaken bell shaking up Vietnamese society, especially youngsters who have long been exposed to materialistic and arrogant elements projected by those of Hollywood blockbusters, music videos and other means of media
There is also a notable growing trend of Vietnamese startups and entrepreneurs establishing business models, brands and products that supports decluttering lifestyle and ambitiously aim to shift consumer ’s preference for industrialized products and materialistic values (branding values, social status and so on) to their appreciation on original local made ones. For instance, local fashion brands with minimal aesthetic such as LIBE workshop, The Blue T-Shirt, and the industry partner of RMIT Vietnam Fashion Merchandising Management program Nosbyn, achieve outstanding appreciation for their minimalism in designs from Vietnamese young customers.
Figure 6 - An advertising poster of LIBE’s ballerina shoes with minimal visual elements and graphic design
Figure 7 - Minimalism is the brand’s philosophy of Nosbyn. Hence minimalism is not only applied on their clothing design but also their showroom
Figure 8 - “Another form of simplicity”
There is also an emerge of e-commerce startup sites such as Sonice (www.sonice.vn) or Ombox (www.ombox.vn) retailing local Vietnamese goods to Vietnamese people with the commitment of bringing original, organic, handcrafted products that contribute to the well-being values of consumer. It was in the March edition box of Ombox the copy of Vietnamese independent publication Tpot Journal volume 6 entitled “less is more” (see Fig.9) with its minimal layout design and its content encouraging people reducing on possessing material goods but getting ready for more travelling and experiencing is what strongly contribute to my belief that minimalism is being increasingly appreciated of Vietnamese people searching for balance and inner peace after a long period of chasing matrial and struggling in this chaotic society.
It is is positively reported that Vietnamese is turning their preference into local brands and products according to statistic report of Nielsen (Fig.10). Local company witnessed 5% growth in value sales throughout the 2012-2014 period as well as
Figure 9 - Tpot journal vol 06. “less is more”
Figure 10 - Vietnamese local company enjoyed 5% growth in the 2 years period of 2012 - 2014 (Nielsen, 2016)
Overall, the definitions of minimal living vary because it is not only reducing but also re-evaluating possession to gain something else, usually intangible core values that people tend to dismissed as they are being convinced that happiness and success achieved only by possessing certain material goods (mobile phones, cars, bags, and so on). Resembling the muted art received in the most dynamic period of American history, minimalism lifestyle has a tendency of being emerged from society with complex issues, fast-paced living, dominance of consumerism and materialism. People who follows this lifestyle reported to be exhausted from pursuit materials and trends that they believe those would make them happy. In the case of Vietnam, especially in that of the first dynamic cities of the country, I am strongly believe that this is only the beginning of minimal lifestyle, yet it will possibly grow stronger in the coming period. As Blake Smith, CEO of Cladwell, pointing out on an article entitled: “Millennials Go Minimal: The Decluttering Lifestyle Trend That Is Taking Over” on Forbes in 2016: “A lot of people think that this is a trend and they’re wrong. This is a generational shift based on values, and so, it’s going to take a generation for it to shift again. Aesthetic trends come and go, but value-based trends, they have staying power.”, Minimal living is not only a new lifestyle of owning less stuff, worrying less debt; it could be considered as a shift in cutural value that remains .
REFERENCE LIST Baas, J & Jacob, M 2006, Buddha mind in contemporary art, Berkeley: University of California Press. Everbrite 2014, Millennial fueling the experience economy, statistic report, Everbrite, viewed 20 March 2017, <http://http://eventbrite-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/marketing/Millennials_Research/Gen_PR_Final.pdf>. Lim, M 2016, ‘Less is more as Japanese minimalist movement grows’, Reuters, 20 June, viewed 20 March 2017 <http://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-minimalism-idUSKCN0Z50VP>. Nguyen, A 2014, ‘Exclusive: Flappy Bird Creator Dong Nguyen says app gone forever because it was an addictive product’, Forbes, 11 February, viewed 22 March 2017 <https://www.forbes.com/sites/lananhnguyen/2014/02/11/exclusive-flappy-bird-creator-dong-nguyen-says-app-gone-forever-because-it-was-an-addictive-product/#4 238e6f66476>. Nguyen, Y 2016, ‘Vietnam fast fashion battle brews’, Inside Retail Asia, 12 September, viewed 22 March 2017 <https://insideretail.asia/2016/09/12/vietnam-fast-fashion-battle-brews/>. Nielsen 2015, The Millennial: Unlocking a generation of potential, The Millennial Report, Nielsen, viewed 20 March 2017 <http://www.nielsen.com/vn/vi/insights/2016/unlocking-millennials-vietnam.html>. Nielsen 2016, Go Local to win the hearts and carts of Southeast Asian Consumer, Report, Nielsen, viewed 22 March 2017 <http://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsenglobal/apac/docs/reports/2016/nielsen-go-glocal-report.pdf>. Varnedoe, K 2006, Pictures Of Nothing: abstract art since Pollock, Princeton University Press, NJ. Waibel, M & Hilbert, H 2013, TP. Ho Chi Minh Mega City: photobook, Times Publishing House, Ho Chi Minh City. Weinswig, d 2016, ‘Millennials go minimal: The decluttering lifestyle trend that is taking over’, Forbes, 7 December, viewed 22 March 2017 <https://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahweinswig/2016/09/07/millennials-go-minimal-the-decluttering-lifestyle-trend-that-is-taking-over/#5922d4673755>. World Bank 2016, Vietnam Overview, World Bank, viewed 22 March 2017, <http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/vietnam/overview>.
FIGURE SECTION
Figure 1 The Marriage Of Reasons And Squalor, II , n.d., viewed 20 March 2017, <https://www.moma.org/collection/works/80316>. Figure 2 Untitled, 12 April 2014 photograph, viewed 20 March 2017, <http://sculptureshock.rbs.org.uk/blog/experiencing-minimalism>. Figure 3 Everbrite 2014, Millennial fueling the experience economy, report, 2014, Everbrite, US, viewed 20 March 2017 <http://http://eventbrite-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/marketing/Millennials_Research/Gen_PR_Final.pdf>. Figure 4 Hilbert, H 2013, TP. Ho Chi Minh Mega City: photobook, Times Publishing House, Ho Chi Minh City. Figure 5 GamerFitnation 2014, Flappy Bird Coming Back With Multiplayer, image, viewed 22 March 2017 <http://gamerfitnation.com/it_gamingnews/2014/05/flappy-bird-coming-back-multiplayer/>. Figure 6,7,8 Navarrete, F, Nosbyn/ Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, n.d., photograph, Wander Journals, viewed 22 March 2017 <http://wanderjournals.com/nosbyn/>. Figure 9 T.pot 2017, T.pot collection số 6 - Hài Hòa, n.d., image, T.pot, viewed 22 March 2017 <http://magazine.tpotjournal.com/product/t-pot-collection-so-06-hai-hoa>. Figure 10 Nielsen 2016, Go Local to win the hearts and carts of Southeast Asian Consumer, Report, Nielsen, viewed 22 March 2017 <http://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsenglobal/apac/docs/reports/2016/nielsen-go-glocal-report.pdf>.