Sweet Sunday @ Ngot/Cake

Every morning on my way to work, rumbling motorbikes, honking cars, buses and delivery trucks form a cacophony of sounds on the streets of Saigon; All making a trail toward shops and offices within the city. The sight, sound and smell of the weekday morning rush can be overwhelming. Being a passenger on a motorbike however, allows your eyes and mind to wander off to less 'claustrophobic' views.

On Dinh Tien Hoang street, a street linking Binh Thanh District to the main artery of Vo Thi Sau District 1, one shop front never fails to catch my gaze despite the fact that I see it everyday. I wasn't sure if it was how the clean exterior stood out from the rest of its 'humdrum' surroundings or the fact that everything about the decor seemed to have been so well placed. So I took this particular Sunday to finally satisfy my curiosity. Step into Ngot with me. :)

NGOT / CAKE
217 Dinh Tien Hoang, Dist 1 HCMC

I am greeted by 2 mannequins on a window display with a somewhat nonchalant pose contrasting each other in a soft, white linen taffeta dress with cascading frills and a black, jewel necked, long sleeved number; Both with matching knee length skirts. Sweet!

It dawned on me that there was indeed a correlation between the name of the boutique and the clothes on display (Something not easy to come by with shops in Saigon). Walking in, on both sides of the rectangular shaped shop and hanging randomly from the center are rows of dresses, skirts, shorts, pants and hats all in soft cotton, linen or satin fabric - mostly in neutral colour tones. Light birdseye wood planks and red house bricks forms a poignant 'country-house' atmosphere on the background without imposing on the dresses that adorns them. Sunset glowing spheres set a warm ambience from the ceiling with occasional spots highlighting picture frames with photography of models presenting the garments displayed.
Within minutes I was speaking to the owner of Ngot, who to my surprise turned out to be a an unassuming, polite Korean gentleman with family back home already running a fashion line. I asked him what brought him to Vietnam…as if it wasn't clear that Vietnam is a great place to grow your business. You immediately warm to him as with the environment of the boutiqe as he gladly explains his love for Vietnam and his interest in more casual, relaxed fashion sense with that touch of sweetness and charm already a Korean signature recognised the world over.

It is the meticulously unpretentious location and atmosphere, streamlined colour tones, comprehensive collection of accessible Korean city chic and the fact that dresses here will absolutely flatter the figure of any demure Vietnamese lass without the need to expose your cleavage is why Ngot has my vote for a must-buy summer wear.

Take a summer afternoon stroll at the park, have a Sundae on the terrace, read a book curled up like a kitten in your lover's arms or have a sunset dinner on a Saigon river cruise and you will find there are a thousand reasons why Ngot's fashion sense can make your day just that much sweeter.