Newsletter drafts

Vietnam Bespoke Suits for US Executives: Weekly Briefing, Monthly Digest and Q4 2026 Outlook

Executive Bespoke Suits: Three Newsletter Drafts

Research cutoff: October 19, 2026.

The following drafts are separate email editions. Dated developments are distinguished from evergreen buying guidance. Supplier descriptions establish what a business advertises—not independently verified workmanship, fitting outcomes or enforceable remedies. No supplier ranking is implied.

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Draft 1 — Weekly Briefing

Subject: Before your Vietnam suit deposit: a location change and a customs update

Preheader: Reconfirm the contracting party, fitting calendar and shipping route—not just the price.

Edition: Monday, October 19, 2026

What should you check before paying this week?

Our recommendation: confirm who is taking responsibility for the commission before discussing additional suits. This week’s operational and customs developments make a useful checklist: verify the business location, distinguish postal procedures from duty exemptions, and obtain a fitting schedule tied to your actual dates.

Has your tailor’s location or operating partner changed?

TIE MEN has announced a material change for Da Nang customers. Its October 15 notice says its partnership at 2 Le Thanh Ton Street, Hai Chau, Da Nang has ended and that the address is no longer an official TIE MEN location. Orders placed there before October 15 will be considered individually, with responsibilities clarified case by case. A replacement showroom is tentatively planned for early November; the address and opening date remain unconfirmed in the notice. (tiemen.vn)

Buyer action: If you have an existing order, contact the house directly with your receipt and correspondence. Ask who now holds the garment, who will conduct the remaining fittings, and who authorizes corrections. Do not assume an old booking or storefront establishes current responsibility.

Did the postal customs deadline move?

Yes—but a filing extension is not a return to duty-free shopping. Germany Trade & Invest’s October 14 update, citing CBP, reports that mandatory use of the new Entry Type 13 procedure for specified international postal shipments has moved from October 22, 2026, to January 20, 2027. Separately, CBP’s June 24 rule established an indefinite suspension of the low-value de minimis exemption for mail shipments. (gtai.de)

Buyer action: Ask whether your suit will travel through the international postal network or an express courier. Have the carrier identify the applicable entry procedure, charges and payer. Do not interpret a postal-processing extension as a blanket exemption for a suit shipped from Vietnam.

Is your import estimate using a current tariff schedule?

Check the version and the garment classification. The US International Trade Commission lists 2026 HTS Revision 21, published October 9, 2026. That publication alone does not establish that the duty on your suit changed. USITC also explains that a foreign supplier’s tariff code may differ from the appropriate US classification. (usitc.gov)

Buyer action: Request a dated calculation identifying the US classification, declared value, origin, applicable additional duties and clearance fees. “Shipping included” is not a complete answer to the import-cost question.

Can a short Vietnam trip accommodate meaningful fittings?

Treat turnaround as a supplier-specific commitment, not a national rule. SIR Tailor publishes a normal full-canvas jacket schedule of 21–30 days with at least two fittings when cloth is available; imported cloth can add 5–10 days. Its advertised one-week express service is conditional on stocked cloth and attendance at agreed fittings. These are supplier statements, not independently tested delivery results. (sirtailor.com)

Buyer action: Ask what happens at each appointment and what remains adjustable then. A collection appointment should not silently replace an intermediate fitting.

What should your before-deposit email ask?

Copy these questions into your next message:

• Who is the contracting business, and who receives my deposit?
• Who measures, cuts, makes and corrects my suit?
• Which fittings occur before final finishing, and on what dates?
• What exact cloth and construction are included?
• If a problem remains after I return to the US, who approves and pays for alterations, shipping or a remake?

Desk recommendation: Commission one pilot suit. Keep subsequent garments uncut until you have accepted the first suit’s fit and documented any pattern changes.

Reply prompt: What is the unresolved issue in your commission: fitting access, delivered cost or correction responsibility? Reply with the question—not payment details or body photographs.

Evidence note: This edition combines dated developments with an undated supplier-process check. It does not certify any tailor or provide a garment-specific customs determination.

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Draft 2 — Monthly Digest

Subject: Vietnam vs US suit value: compare the correction contract

Preheader: A practical comparison of process, cloth, delivered cost and aftercare.

Edition: October 2026 buying digest, researched through October 19—not a completed month-end recap.

Is a Vietnam bespoke suit better value than US made-to-measure?

Only a matched quotation and a credible correction route can answer that for your purchase. Our recommended comparison is not Vietnam’s lowest advertised price against a premium US bespoke commission. Compare the garment specification, opportunities to refine fit, cash cost to delivery and obligations if the result needs work.

For a founder, the preferred outcome may be fewer appointments. For a partner replacing a working wardrobe, it may be a repeatable pattern. For a difficult-fit buyer, prioritize access to the person making substantive fitting decisions.

What does “bespoke” establish—and what does full canvas establish?

Evaluate the pattern, fitting process and internal construction separately. The Savile Row Bespoke Association describes an individually handmade pattern cut by a master cutter. Suitsupply’s Custom Made service separately offers a choice of full- or half-canvas construction. Our conclusion: a canvas specification alone cannot establish an individual-pattern, fitting-led process. The association’s description is a craft benchmark, not certification of a Vietnamese supplier. (savilerowbespoke.com)

Ask for the process applying to your quoted service, rather than accepting a general description covering several product tiers.

Which Vietnamese tailoring offers are worth investigating?

These are evidence leads, not recommendations. The advertised services are not equivalent.

Do not convert this table into a price league. The entries differ in cloth, construction claims, fitting route and remedies. VND figures are left unconverted rather than implying a fixed dollar quotation.

How should you verify Italian wool fabric?

Start with the exact article, not the mill name. For example, Vitale Barberis Canonico’s official listing for 486.562/2 identifies grey herringbone, 100% wool, 260 gr and 110’s fineness. The mill also warns that the photographed color may differ from the physical cloth. This is an example of useful specification detail, not a recommendation for every executive or climate. (vitalebarberiscanonico.com)

Our proposed pre-cutting record:

• Mill or merchant and exact article/color reference.
• Fiber composition and weight, including the weight unit.
• A physical swatch where practical.
• Written confirmation that the cloth is available.
• Buyer approval required before any substitution.

Matching a catalog entry is a specification check; it is not, by itself, an audit of the cloth delivered to the workshop.

What should a Vietnam suit cost calculator include?

Use delivered cash cost, then show executive time separately. Our comparison method is:

Garment + fitting fees + shipping + applicable import charges + payment/FX costs + local alterations + incremental travel.

Include applicable domestic sales or use tax consistently where relevant; do not compare one tax-inclusive total with another pre-tax figure. Ask the relevant provider or authority to confirm unresolved tax treatment.

Worked example: how much correction headroom remains?

The following figures are illustrative assumptions, not supplier quotations, market averages or a duty estimate.

An additional $400 correction would leave only $40 − I of advantage. Do not describe the purchase as cheaper while I remains unknown. Also show appointment and coordination hours separately rather than assigning every executive the same hourly value.

Are shipped suits and suits carried home treated alike?

No: keep the two routes separate. The February 20, 2026 executive order continued the suspension of shipment de minimis treatment; CBP subsequently issued its June rule for mail shipments. Do not budget zero import charges simply because a shipped suit costs less than $800. (whitehouse.gov)

CBP’s traveler guidance describes a generally $800 personal exemption, subject to conditions including declaration, accompanying goods, a qualifying stay abroad and prior use of the exemption. It specifically says items sent later generally cannot be included in that $800 allowance. The allowance is not a separate $800 exemption for every garment. (help.cbp.gov)

What does the correction promise actually buy?

Read the exclusions and the form of compensation. Nathan Tailors’ terms state that completed custom orders are not refundable. For identified workmanship or production errors reported with photographs within 30 days, the business reserves discretion to alter, remake or provide partial future credit; inaccurate customer measurements are excluded from its warranty. (nathantailors.com)

As a US-facing comparison, Proper Cloth’s FAQ offers local alteration reimbursement of up to $125 for a suit as store credit, and describes remake and refund routes. That allowance is neither cash reimbursement nor evidence of the average cost of correcting an overseas suit. Confirm the conditions before relying on it. (propercloth.com)

Ask every candidate: Who diagnoses the problem? Must alterations be approved first? Is compensation cash or credit? Who pays both shipping legs? What happens if the first remedy fails?

Will paying by card guarantee recovery?

No. Treat payment protection as a backstop, not the fitting plan. CFPB advises contacting the seller and card issuer about disputes. Its guidance distinguishes billing errors from other purchase disputes and identifies a 60-day notification window for billing errors appearing on a statement. Ask your issuer about the specific overseas custom-garment transaction; do not assume a fit complaint automatically qualifies. (consumerfinance.gov)

What is worth reading or watching?

• Read — pattern retention in practice: Permanent Style’s September 18 interview with Bao describes a Vietnamese tailor retaining his pattern for a later commission. It is a useful firsthand example to discuss with a prospective tailor—not evidence of market-wide repeat-order reliability. (permanentstyle.com)
• Watch — craft background: Vietnam Today/VTV’s May 15 feature, Hội An Tailors Stitch Global Style, introduces the city’s tailoring heritage. Treat it as background viewing, not verification of a particular executive-suit service. (vietnamtoday.vtv.vn)

This month’s decision rule: Do not release a wardrobe order until the first suit has been assessed, outstanding corrections resolved and the repeat specification recorded.

Reply prompt: Which missing document is preventing your decision: a complete quotation, fitting schedule, cloth specification or written remedy policy?

Evidence note: Advertised prices and policies were checked for this edition but require confirmation for the actual order. No workshop inspection or matched Vietnam–US buying trial was conducted.

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Draft 3 — Quarterly Outlook

Subject: Q4 2026: commission a pilot—not a wardrobe

Preheader: A year-end buying plan built around fitting access, correction responsibility and verified cost.

Edition: Q4 2026 outlook, issued October 19

Planning horizon: October 19–December 31, 2026

What should US executive buyers prioritize for the rest of Q4?

Our recommendation is to prioritize a documented first-suit process over a multi-suit discount. This is a purchasing outlook, not a forecast of Vietnamese tailoring prices, demand or returns. The research does not establish niche-wide growth, first-order failure rates or average remediation costs.

Three questions should decide whether to proceed:

1. Can the proposed fitting route address your actual requirements?
2. Is there a named, funded correction route after delivery?
3. Does the purchase still make sense after unresolved costs are filled in?

Will international support make commissioning easier?

Possibly—but only if the advertised support covers the work you need. WAS Concept documents a Ho Chi Minh City–Singapore route; that is evidence of an advertised regional arrangement, not a US fitting network. A US buyer should not translate “international service” into “someone local will take responsibility.” (wasconcepttailor.com)

For any claimed US-supported Vietnamese bespoke service, request:

Desk judgment: An alteration referral should not receive the same assessment as a coordinated fitting service. We did not independently verify a US partner arrangement meeting all the requirements above.

Will digital ordering reduce the buyer’s workload?

It may simplify intake; do not assume it settles accountability. Nathan Tailors advertises guided remote measurement and direct delivery. Those features demonstrate an ordering route, not independently measured first-order fit performance. (nathantailors.com)

There is also a privacy decision. Its terms for specified AI visualization tools describe broad licenses covering generated images and uploaded reference images, including marketing and model-training uses. This is a tool-specific contractual provision, not a finding about every measurement photograph or every Vietnamese tailor. (nathantailors.com)

Buyer action: Before uploading identifiable portraits, ask whether they are necessary, where they will appear, how long they will be retained and whether a less-identifiable alternative is accepted. Review the terms applying to the particular upload tool.

What can supplier hiring tell us about capacity?

Use hiring as an enquiry prompt—not a delivery forecast. Kim Bespoke’s recruitment page lists cutter, suit-assembly and production-management postings dated February 23, 2026. The postings establish that recruitment was advertised; they do not establish current vacancies, successful hires, available production slots or a sector-wide skills shortage. (kimbespoke.com.vn)

Ask your proposed tailor who is allocated to your commission and whether the cutter will attend the relevant fittings. Do not infer capacity from headcount claims, recruitment pages or showroom expansion alone.

Which developments belong on the Q4 watchlist?

What should happen between now and year-end?

Use the following as editorial checkpoints, not supplier lead-time promises. Move them earlier—or postpone the commission—if the actual schedule requires it.

By October 31: make the commission decidable

• Obtain an itemized quotation and exact cloth reference.
• Identify who measures, cuts, makes and corrects.
• Secure written fitting appointments and correction terms.
• Compare one credible US alternative on equivalent inclusions.
• Leave any unconfirmed charge visibly unresolved.

During November: test the first suit, not the sales proposition

Attend the agreed fittings and record requested changes. Ask the cutter to distinguish changes still possible before finishing from work that would require later alteration or a remake. The Savile Row Bespoke Association’s process description includes adjustment allowances in key seams—use that as a prompt to ask what provision exists in your garment, not as proof of this supplier’s construction. (savilerowbespoke.com)

During December: decide whether to expand, correct or stop

A domestic custom order is not automatically an immediate solution: Suitsupply advertises a 3–4 week Custom Made delivery period. For a closer deadline, ask about actual stock, local alteration availability and a confirmed completion date rather than assuming any route is fast enough. (suitsupply.com)

What would justify a larger wardrobe order?

Our proposed release conditions are deliberately simple:

• The first suit meets the written brief in actual use.
• No material correction remains unresolved.
• The tailor has recorded the accepted measurements, pattern revisions and style details.
• Cloth for the next garment is specifically approved.
• Repeat-order pricing and remedies are documented again.

Bottom line: Buy the opportunity to evaluate one suit before committing to several. The favorable outcome may be a repeat Vietnamese commission, a US alternative or postponement; the research should permit all three.

Reply prompt: What would have to be documented for you to authorize a second suit?

Evidence note: The outlook contains conditional planning recommendations, not quantified market forecasts. Supplier capacity, future openings and individual fitting outcomes remain unverified.

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Sources

Sources below were consulted for the October 19, 2026 research cutoff. Undated supplier pages are current website statements, not dated announcements or independent audits.

Operational updates and Vietnamese supplier statements

1. TIE MEN — Da Nang Operations Update, October 15, 2026. https://tiemen.vn/da-nang-business-update/ (tiemen.vn)
2. TIE MEN — process and locations. https://tiemen.vn/ (tiemen.vn)
3. SIR Tailor — pricing, construction and production FAQ. https://sirtailor.com/ (sirtailor.com)
4. Nathan Tailors — custom suit offer and remote ordering. https://www.nathantailors.com/en/custom-tailored-suits (nathantailors.com)
5. Nathan Tailors — terms, remedies and visualization-image provisions. https://www.nathantailors.com/en/terms (nathantailors.com)
6. WAS Concept — service locations and cross-border collection. https://wasconcepttailor.com/ (wasconcepttailor.com)
7. Kim Bespoke — recruitment archive. https://kimbespoke.com.vn/hiring/ (kimbespoke.com.vn)

Customs and consumer guidance

8. Germany Trade & Invest — US de minimis update, October 14, 2026, reporting CBP’s postal implementation extension. https://www.gtai.de/de/trade/usa/zoll/usa-de-minimis-ausnahme-weltweit-1918566 (gtai.de)
9. CBP/Federal Register — Indefinite Suspension of the De Minimis Exemption for Mail Shipments and New Postal Informal Entry Process, June 24, 2026. The original compliance date must be read alongside subsequent updates. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-24/html/2026-12670.htm (govinfo.gov)
10. White House — Continuing the Suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries, February 20, 2026. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/02/continuing-the-suspension-of-duty-free-de-minimis-treatment-for-all-countries/ (whitehouse.gov)
11. USITC — Harmonized Tariff Information, including the October 9, 2026 revision announcement. https://www.usitc.gov/harmonized_tariff_information (usitc.gov)
12. USITC — classification and importing FAQ. https://www.usitc.gov/harmonized_tariff_information/frequently_asked_questions (usitc.gov)
13. CBP — Duty-Free Exemption, official indexed guidance dated February 27, 2026. https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1402?language=en_US (help.cbp.gov)
14. CFPB — refunds and credit-card purchase disputes. https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-can-i-get-a-refund-on-a-product-or-service-i-purchased-with-my-credit-card-en-1969/ (consumerfinance.gov)

Craft, cloth, US alternatives and editorial context

15. Savile Row Bespoke Association — Bespoke Process. https://www.savilerowbespoke.com/about-us/bespoke-process/ (savilerowbespoke.com)
16. Vitale Barberis Canonico — article 486.562/2. https://vitalebarberiscanonico.com/collection/fabrics/486-562-2/ (vitalebarberiscanonico.com)
17. Proper Cloth — tailoring and alteration FAQ. https://propercloth.com/faqs (propercloth.com)
18. Suitsupply — Custom Made service. https://suitsupply.com/en-us/journal/custom-made.html (suitsupply.com)
19. Permanent Style — Introducing Bao: Sexton suits and Vinted scrolling, September 18, 2026. https://www.permanentstyle.com/2026/09/introducing-bao-sexton-suits-and-vinted-scrolling.html (permanentstyle.com)
20. Vietnam Today/VTV — Hội An Tailors Stitch Global Style, May 15, 2026. https://vietnamtoday.vtv.vn/hoi-an-tailors-stitch-global-style-local-towards-global-100260525182628847.htm (vietnamtoday.vtv.vn)

FAQs

How should a US executive choose a Vietnamese tailor for business suits?

Request evidence of the process applying to your specific commission: individual pattern work, intermediate fittings, named decision-makers and post-delivery remedies. TIE MEN describes individual paper patterns and successive fittings, but that supplier statement still needs to be matched to your itinerary and quotation. (tiemen.vn)

Does full-canvas construction prove a Vietnamese suit is bespoke?

No: assess internal construction separately from pattern development and fitting. The Savile Row Bespoke Association describes individually handmade patterns, while Suitsupply offers canvas choices within its Custom Made service; canvas alone does not establish the former process. (savilerowbespoke.com)

How long should I allow for a suit made in Vietnam?

There is no single verified timetable covering all suppliers and service tiers. For example, SIR Tailor advertises 21–30 days and at least two fittings for a full-canvas jacket with available cloth, alongside a conditional express option; obtain a schedule specific to your order. (sirtailor.com)

Is a suit shipped from Vietnam to the US duty-free below $800?

Do not assume so: the 2026 measures continued the suspension of shipment de minimis treatment, including a separate rule addressing mail. Your applicable charges still require the correct classification, shipping route and current entry-date rules. (whitehouse.gov)

Can I use the $800 traveler exemption for a suit brought home from Vietnam?

Potentially, if you satisfy CBP’s conditions, including declaration, accompanying goods, the qualifying absence and restrictions on recent use of the allowance. It is a total personal exemption, not a per-suit allowance, and CBP says goods sent later generally cannot use it. (help.cbp.gov)

How can I verify the Italian wool specified by a Vietnamese tailor?

Ask for the mill or merchant, exact article reference, composition, weight and a physical swatch where practical, then compare those details with the official product record. Vitale Barberis Canonico publishes article-level specifications and warns that photographed color can differ from physical cloth; catalog matching alone does not authenticate the cloth used. (vitalebarberiscanonico.com)

Does international fitting support mean a Vietnamese tailor has a US partner?

No: verify the named US provider, location, fitting scope and correction obligations separately. WAS Concept documents Singapore support, but the reviewed page does not establish a US fitting partnership. (wasconcepttailor.com)

What remedy should I request if my overseas custom suit does not fit?

Request a written process identifying who assesses the issue, authorizes alterations, pays shipping and decides on a remake or refund. Policies differ: Nathan Tailors excludes inaccurate customer measurements from its warranty, while Proper Cloth describes alteration store credit and other remedy routes; neither policy should be generalized to another supplier. (nathantailors.com)

Should I order several suits together to secure a discount?

Our recommendation is to approve one pilot before authorizing additional cutting, so unresolved fitting decisions are not repeated across the order. Record the accepted specification and pattern revisions first; a published firsthand account of pattern retention in Vietnam illustrates what to ask about, not a guarantee of repeat-order success. (permanentstyle.com)

Sources

• Da Nang Operations Update | TIE MEN
• Update - USA setzen De-Minimis-Ausnahme weltweit aus | Zollbericht | USA | Zolltarif, Einfuhrzoll
• Harmonized Tariff Information | United States International Trade Commission
• May Đo Vest Nam (Vest Cưới - Công sở - Đồng phục) Cao Cấp
• Bespoke Process - Savile Row Bespoke - Savile Row Bespoke
• TIE MEN — Bespoke Tailor in Ho Chi Minh City & Hanoi
• Bespoke Suits & Custom Tailored Suits From $149 — Hoi An Custom Tailor | Nathan Tailors
• WAS Concept Tailor | Bespoke Custom Suits, Ho Chi Minh City
• Worsted Ceremony 486.562/2
• Continuing the Suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries – The White House
• Duty- free exemption
• www.nathantailors.com
• FAQs | Proper Cloth
• How can I get a refund on a product or service I purchased with my credit card? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
• Introducing Bao: Sexton suits and Vinted scrolling – Permanent Style
• Hội An Tailors Stitch Global Style | Local Towards Global
• Hiring - Kim Bespoke
• Custom Suits: Craft Your Own Perfect Fit | SUITSUPPLY
• Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 120 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) about Tariff Classification, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, Importing, and Exporting | United States International Trade Commission
• [https://tiemen.vn/da-nang-business-update/](https://tiemen.vn/da-nang-business-update/)
• [https://tiemen.vn/](https://tiemen.vn/)
• [https://sirtailor.com/](https://sirtailor.com/)
• [https://www.nathantailors.com/en/custom-tailored-suits](https://www.nathantailors.com/en/custom-tailored-suits)
• [https://www.nathantailors.com/en/terms](https://www.nathantailors.com/en/terms)
• [https://wasconcepttailor.com/](https://wasconcepttailor.com/)
• [https://kimbespoke.com.vn/hiring/](https://kimbespoke.com.vn/hiring/)
• [https://www.gtai.de/de/trade/usa/zoll/usa-de-minimis-ausnahme-weltweit-1918566](https://www.gtai.de/de/trade/usa/zoll/usa-de-minimis-ausnahme-weltweit-1918566)
• [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-24/html/2026-12670.htm](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-24/html/2026-12670.htm)
• [https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/02/continuing-the-suspension-of-duty-free-de-minimis-treatment-for-all-countries/](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/02/continuing-the-suspension-of-duty-free-de-minimis-treatment-for-all-countries/)
• [https://www.usitc.gov/harmonized_tariff_information](https://www.usitc.gov/harmonized_tariff_information)
• [https://www.usitc.gov/harmonized_tariff_information/frequently_asked_questions](https://www.usitc.gov/harmonized_tariff_information/frequently_asked_questions)
• [https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1402?language=en_US](https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1402?language=en_US)
• [https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-can-i-get-a-refund-on-a-product-or-service-i-purchased-with-my-credit-card-en-1969/](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-can-i-get-a-refund-on-a-product-or-service-i-purchased-with-my-credit-card-en-1969/)
• [https://www.savilerowbespoke.com/about-us/bespoke-process/](https://www.savilerowbespoke.com/about-us/bespoke-process/)
• [https://vitalebarberiscanonico.com/collection/fabrics/486-562-2/](https://vitalebarberiscanonico.com/collection/fabrics/486-562-2/)
• [https://propercloth.com/faqs](https://propercloth.com/faqs)
• [https://suitsupply.com/en-us/journal/custom-made.html](https://suitsupply.com/en-us/journal/custom-made.html)
• [https://www.permanentstyle.com/2026/09/introducing-bao-sexton-suits-and-vinted-scrolling.html](https://www.permanentstyle.com/2026/09/introducing-bao-sexton-suits-and-vinted-scrolling.html)
• [https://vietnamtoday.vtv.vn/hoi-an-tailors-stitch-global-style-local-towards-global-100260525182628847.htm](https://vietnamtoday.vtv.vn/hoi-an-tailors-stitch-global-style-local-towards-global-100260525182628847.htm)