Field Notes
Vietnam is unstoppable
This was the seventh UNIQLO City Report Anonymous worked on since 2015, and the third in Southeast Asia we were involved in, following the fieldwork done for the launch of the Singapore and Manila flagship stores.
And it was also the most challenging.
We interviewed a newspaper editor, artist, dancer, professor, student, entrepreneur, chef, fashion designer, photographer, footballer, and more. Throughout the interviews, we heard people talking about their pride for Vietnam — how the country overcame adversity and prospered, and is now one of the leading and fastest-growing economies of Asia. This has been made possible entirely through their own sheer hard work and a resilient, competitive, and independent spirit.
The country moves with relentless speed and an unforgiving attitude in its progress. The people are resourceful, hardworking, fearless, and highly adaptable. They are unstoppable and whether you like it or not, they demand respect. One thing is for sure — with 70% of the population under the age of 35, the next decade of creativity and entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia will be from countries like Vietnam.
I can’t wait to see what happens.
Here are photos from my time in the city.
The first UNIQLO stores in Vietnam opened successfully in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) on December 6, 2019, followed by Hanoi on March 6, 2020.
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Felix Ng
Co-founder, Anonymous
@felix.anonymous