Vietnam is among the top five textile and garment exporters in the world, but the Vietnamese market is controlled by foreign brands. The nearly 200 foreign fashion brands in Vietnam hold up to 60 per cent of the market share. Only 20 per cent of the 6,000 homegrown textile and garment companies target the domestic market. They are more focused on making products for export.

The presence of high-street fashion brands such as Zara, H&M, Topshop and Mango has created a shopping wave in Vietnam. Zara follows a strategy that attracts customers. Every product is displayed on the shelves for just a couple of weeks and in limited quantities. The manufacturer doesn't make the same products again, and the models will be replaced with new ones. This strategy makes people think they need to buy products as soon as possible or they won’t have the opportunity to own them.

In comparison domestic brands seem to be faltering. Foci opened in 1999 targeting mid-end clients. By 2007, it opened 60 shops in large cities. However, since then all Foci shops have been shut down and Foci’s products are now sold online.

Similarly Ninomaxx, a once-famous brand, had a network of 200 shops throughout the country. However, since 2012, it has been undergoing restructuring and has had to close a series of shops. It now has 64 shops, mostly in the south.