Fashion works inspired by clothing and craft of ethnic groups come into the spotlight at the ongoing China Fashion Week in Beijing, weaving ethnic heritage into contemporary design and reflecting a creative revival of the country's intangible cultural heritage.
At the 2025 edition of China Fashion Week, which opened on March 20 until 28 in Beijing, designers showcased their works, modeled after ancient crafts such as Miao embroidery, batik, and lacquer painting. These reflect a growing taste of cultural sustainability and reinterpreting heritage through modern fashion.
Among the standout events was a runway show featuring more than 40 children from Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, a remote mountainous region in southwest China's Guizhou Province.
Dressed in outfits incorporating embroidery from the Miao, Dong, and Zhuang ethnic groups and adorned with traditional Miao silver ornaments, the children brought a striking authenticity to the stage.
"After years of effort, we've helped designers gain a deeper understanding of the essence of our intangible cultural heritage. Their appreciation of traditional culture, symbols, elements, and materials has improved significantly," said Xie Fangming, vice chairperson of the China Fashion Association.
One highlight was Miao batik, a traditional dyeing technique recognized as an important element of China's intangible heritage. Designers represented the craft by blending Miao bird totems with contemporary cuts and silhouettes, creating garments that merged ancestral symbolism with modern aesthetics.
Lisu craftsmanship, a heritage practice from southwest China's Sichuan Province, also appeared on the runway. Designers incorporated Lisu patterns, silver jewelry, and fireweed cloth into streamlined silhouettes, achieving a refined fusion of texture, structure, and traditional motifs.
Organizers said more than half of this season's brands featured Chinese cultural elements. Emphasizing lightweight, wearable design, many collections aimed to make heritage part of daily life, offering a renewed and global-facing vision of modern Chinese style.
This year's fashion week features nearly 230 brands from 12 countries, including China, Finland, and Germany. There are close to 100 offline launch events across the capital.
Traditional crafts take center stage at China Fashion Week in Beijing
