Chinese designer showcases Miao culture at Milan Fashion Week

Chinese designer Zhao Huizhou has presented her autumn/winter 2024 collection at the just closed Milan Fashion Week. Like her previous collections, the designer once again shone a light on China's intangible cultural heritage and the power of women.  

This season marked designer Zhao Huizhou's 14th appearance at Milan Fashion Week.  

This time, the designer drew inspiration from the "Longhorn" hairstyle of the "Longhorn Miao," a branch of the Miao ethnic group in rural Liupanshui, Guizhou Province, known for its women's unique hairstyle that features a hair bun shaped like a pair of long horns.  

A model showcased a piece from designer Zhao Huizhou's autumn/winter 2024 collection on the runway at Milan Fashion Week on March 25.

The hair bun showcases the elegance of women, while revealing their inner world, reflecting their pursuit of detail and beauty, and representing self-confidence.

"The high hair bun symbolizes female empowerment and confidence. There's a branch of the Miao ethnic group called the Longhorn Miao. For these people, this hairstyle is used to pass down the idea of female strength from one generation to the next," says the designer.

The designer infuses each piece with a reinterpretation of ethnic Chinese traditions, intertwining them with the cosmopolitan essence of modern Chinese women.  

Translating tribal motifs into contemporary chic, the collection features jacquard sequined skirts in shades of ebony, camel, and black. The bold use of contrasting colors like red, purple and blue creates a delightful visual effect in the clothing.  

Zhao has been trying for years to preserve and inject new life into China's intangible cultural heritage using modern fashion, and her previous shows in Milan have all centered on traditional Chinese culture.  

"As a designer from China, I have been thinking about one question: the origin of my designs. I believe it's rooted in my culture, and I think this culture is more about inheritance. Intangible cultural heritage is particularly distinctive and can truly represent China. Therefore, intangible cultural heritage forms the essence of our fashion products, and lies at the core of our collections. While there may be a new theme each year, the empowerment of women and the innovative expression of our intangible cultural heritage remain constant," adds Zhao.  

The runway show also employs multimedia digital technology to present an immersive aesthetic experience, delivering a striking artistic expression through audio-visual effects.

The rhythmic interweaving of light and shadow adds a touch of vibrancy and agility to the runway.  

"This time, we have completely integrated the artistic form with the fashion show. We use multimedia 3D presentations to showcase our intangible cultural heritage, which is a brand new attempt for me," says Zhao.

The designer has been showing her works in Milan and has been committed to making China's voice heard on the world fashion stage for years. She hopes more people will gain a deeper understanding of China's intangible cultural heritage through her creations.