Áo dài
When fabric became inexpensive, the rationale for multiple layers and thick flaps disappeared. Modern textile manufacture allows for wider panels, which eliminates the need to sew narrow panels together. The áo dài Le Mur, or "trendy" ao dai, created a sensation when the model Nguyễn Thị Hậu wore it for a feature published by the newspaper Today in January 1935. The style was promoted by the artists of Tự Lực văn đoàn ("Self-Reliant Literary Group") as a national costume for the modern era. The painter Lê Phô introduced several popular styles of ao dai in 1934. Such Westernized garments temporarily disappeared during World War II (1939–1945).