Praise Guizhou Kaili National Fashion Show On International Fashion Week

On April 25, the People's Daily published "Ancient Miao Embroidery Dialogue with Modern Fashion! Guizhou Kaili National Fashion Show Enters the International Fashion Week", focusing on the 2025 China International Fashion Week. Guizhou Kaili's farming civilization stepped onto the international stage, allowing the audience to see the beauty of the nation and culture. The specific report is as follows:

The lights hit the catwalk, the old man wore straw sandals, carried his granddaughter in national costume with a wooden plow on his shoulder, and walked out slowly humming Miao folk songs... At the 2025 China International Fashion Week, this scene of great contrast attracted attention. At that moment, the ancient Miao embroidery met the modern fashion, and the farming civilization stepped onto the international stage, so that the audience saw the beauty of the nation and culture.

Prior to this, such fashion shows had been staged for 8 months in Kaili Miao Dong Custom Park, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province.

Villagers show off in national costumes. Photograph provided by respondents

Back in July 2024, clothing designer Yang Chunlin returned to his hometown and opened his own clothing shop in the Miao Dong Style Park through the Kaili City Returning Talents Introduction Activity. Before officially entering, Yang Chunlin held a fashion show for the villagers in his hometown, Wanshui Town. "Many people in the village don't know what my job is, so I moved the fashion show back to my hometown and named it 'Guizhou Village T'. ”At that fashion show, professional models wore clothes with Miao elements designed by Yang Chunlin and walked on the stage with aunts and sisters in the village. "People in the village realized for the first time that the things they embroidered were so beautiful," said Yang Chunlin.

In the Miao Dong style garden, there is a non heritage market called "Xiulitao", where many stall owners sell their own embroidery pieces, ornaments and other handicrafts. "This market was moved from the old market in the village, and we have always wanted to attract more tourists to come here through shows and other activities," said Pan Honglei, deputy director of the Culture, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau of Kaili City.

The idea of the government coincides with Yang Chunlin's practice. Soon, "Guizhou Village T" was moved to the wind and rain corridor of the Miao Dong Custom Park. "We invited ethnic minority people to show off with their own distinctive costumes. At first, we only planned to carry out activities for three days, but as a result, more and more people came." Pan Honglei said that every Friday, Saturday and Sunday since then, "Guizhou Village T" has been staged in the Miao Dong Custom Park on time. "Up to now, more than 400 catwalks have attracted more than 40000 people, and even people from other provinces have formed groups to participate." Ran Xin, head of the operation center of the Miao Dong Custom Park, said.

"People are very creative. Some are carrying a long string of garlic, and some are carrying five colored glutinous rice. It was later learned that they usually sell these things, but they just moved their daily scenes to the catwalk. ”Yang Chunlin said, "Seeing 'Village T' is like opening a blind box. You never know what performance will be."

On the stage of "Guizhou Village T", the audience may eat the hometown food made by "models", watch the steps of Miao silver jewelry making, or hear the melodious Lusheng.

Yang Chunlin also has his own ideas on pushing the national fashion show to the International Fashion Week. From the opening dialogue between grandma and grandson about Miao embroidery, to grandpa carrying his granddaughter with a wooden plow, to children wearing different ethnic or Miao branch costumes showing off with intangible cultural heritage products in Qiandongnan, "we not only display clothing, but also want to spread ethnic culture through this stage," Yang Chunlin said.

With the appearance of national costumes at the International Fashion Week, "Guizhou Village T" has received more attention, which has also driven the development of local tourism. In 2024, the Miao Dong Custom Park will receive 1.1209 million tourists in total, and the comprehensive tourism income will exceed 200 million yuan.

(Source: People's Daily)