By: Kathy Mouacheupao

Model wearing outfit from Once Upon A Time Collection by Kao Lee Thao, Photo by Yeng Yang

Friday, October 7, 2011 – Minneapolis, MN The Center for Hmong Arts and Talent (CHAT) held the Fresh Traditions V Fashion Show (FTV) at the beautiful McNamara Alumni Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. FTV is an annual fashion show featuring all Hmong fashion designers and Asian models.

Each designer is given creative control over their collections, with one exception. Because there is little documentation as to why the unique palette of traditional Hmong fabrics were used, designers are challenged to make sense of the traditional fabrics in today’s contemporary world.

They are all required to design at least one full outfit using a combination of the 5 Hmong fabrics: black satin, black velvet, neon green chiffon, florescent pink chiffon and a royal blue satin.

As the doors opened at 6pm, the line at the entrance quickly filed out into the hallway and the room filled with excitement and curiosity for this year’s 5 featured designers. With only an hour left before the show, attendees were entertained by DJ Luchie’s music spinning in the background.

Center for Hmong Arts and Talent’s (CHAT) 7th Annual Hmong Arts & Music Festival is being held on Saturday, August 16, 2008 at the Western Sculpture Park on Marion Street in Saint Paul.

The Festival is a celebration of culture for all ages and has become a tradition of sorts for the neighborhood and for the growing Hmong community in the Twin Cities. Last year, there was an estimated 3,000 people that attended. We only anticipate even more people this year.

“Where do the Hmong come from?” “Do the Hmong have a country of their own?” These are questions that are commonly asked of Hmong people. And, although the curiosity in these questions have a legitimate innocence to them, this notion of whether or not there is a Hmongland raises questions regarding how Hmong people are perceived both by Hmong and non-Hmong people. How does a population without a recognized country identify itself? How do residents of a displaced community respond to definition inside and outside of the community? These questions force an inward exploration of identity and worth for many Hmong and a world of wonderment for non-Hmong.

CHAT asks artists to consider these questions and to share how they imagine what HMONGLAND would be like. CHAT invites the community to witness HMONGLAND at the 7th Annual Hmong Arts and Music Festival on August 16, 2008.

HMONGLAND will be a celebration of the arts with original paintings and sculptures in the Visual Gallery, dance and musical performances on the Main Stage, live art and theatre, a showcase of artwork by youth at the Art Saves Us Tent, a cake decorating contest with Cakes By Fhoua, games, vendors, resources and food! Come as an artist, patron, vendor, enthusiast, tourist or resource – it’s a good time for all ages.

For more information, please contact: Kathy Mouacheupao at 651-603-6971 or kathy@aboutchat.org

CHAT is a non-profit organization with the mission to nurture and develop Hmong artists to enhance the community.