Silk and Style
Silk, tailoring, galleries and quiet cafes
The south west of the Old Quarter is where Hanoi dresses up. Hang Gai has sold silk for centuries and still lines up tailors, galleries and lacquer shops in elegant shophouses. The side streets slow the pace down: cotton quilts, leather goods and wooden chests from the old trades, mixed today with small hotels and calm cafes. If you buy one thing in the Old Quarter, buy it here, and watch it being made or measured in front of you.
Streets in this quarter
Hàng Gai
Silk and hemp goods. The famous silk street: tailors, embroidery, galleries and lacquerware in heritage shophouses.
Hàng Bông
Cotton quilts and bedding. Once the cotton street, today a long lively mix of bedding shops, street food and hotels.
Hàng Da
Leather goods. The leather street, still full of shoe, bag and belt workshops and shops.
Hàng Hòm
Wooden chests, now luggage. Wooden chest makers gave way to suitcase and school bag shops along this street.