Ancient handicrafts given 21st century makeover at New York Fashion Week

China Daily | Updated: 2019-09-19 08:14

NEW YORK - Shanghai-based Orient International (Holding) aims to connect the cultures of China's 56 ethnic groups with the world's leading fashion designers through an initiative to aid the development of China's fashion industry and cultural heritage, said a senior company executive.

The initiative, known as Top 100 Global Designers Alliance, aims to inspire the world's leading fashion designers with China's traditional culture from 56 ethnic groups, Tong Jisheng, chairman of the company, said in an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the New York Fashion Week earlier this month.

"The alliance will work as a platform for international designers who have excellent design skills but limited commercial access to the Chinese market," Tong said.

As a trial, the alliance cooperated with Wang Tao, a noted Chinese designer as well as a regular at the NYFW, to transform China's intangible cultural heritage Yi embroidery into urban fashion for the catwalk.

In the spring/summer 2020 collection of Taoray Taoray, the youth line of designer Taoray Wang, Yi embroidery and bright colors were incorporated in daily wear such as camisoles, T-shirts, hoodies and denim jackets.

Ancient handicrafts given 21st century makeover at New York Fashion Week

"Most of the people buy Yi embroidery as souvenirs. We want to break the stereotype that traditional embroidery cannot be fashionable," said Wang on the sidelines of her runway show. "I think fashion is the best way to introduce culture."

Tong said he believes that a combination of ethnic heritage and fashion design would have huge market potential.

"The trends of fashion will have to integrate the East and the West and be extracted from the culture. These are the pursuit of modern consumers," he said.

The cooperation was also part of the efforts to improve life standards of residents in the Chuxiong Yi autonomous prefecture in Southwest China's Yunnan province. In Chuxiong, more than 70,000 women are involved in embroidery. The industry is worth more than 100 million yuan ($14.11 million), according to Xu Xiaomei, head of the prefecture's publicity department.

Xu said Yi embroidery's appearance at the NYFW successfully promoted intangible cultural heritage on the world stage.

As more people learn to appreciate the aesthetic of the technique, the industry will grow at a faster pace and Chuxiong's female embroiders can live a more decent life, she said.

"How do we help the female embroiders in Chuxiong to live a more decent life? We should transform their embroidery works into merchandise and put them on the market," Tong said.

Xinhua