Tan My Design

If you visit only one boutique in Hanoi, it should be this one, which carries exquisite embroidery plus a well-edited assortment of decorative objects, jewelry, fashion and gifts. In the many decades since Tan My was founded as a modest little shop by the mother of the present owner, designer Do Thanh Huong, across the street, the empire has grown to occupy three bright floors in this most modern of shops in the Old Quarter. (There is even a café in the back on the ground floor, making it feel like a mini department store.) On the various light-filled floors, you can find beautiful lacquer boxes and modern takes on the traditional ao dai costumes in stunning silks and brocades. The housewares section features Vietnamese cottons and linens embroidered with images ranging from subtle flower blossoms and delicate feathers to bold dragons and Vietnamese landscapes, in a huge spectrum of colors. Don’t miss the upper floors with a selection of designs by the country’s cutting-edge fashion designers such as Lolo Zazar’s T-shirts, Bianco Levrin and Song.