Village fashion show integrates traditional culture, modern design in SW China terraces

A model participates in a fashion show in the terraced fields of Jiabang in southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Xuanni)

GUIYANG, April 28 (Xinhua) -- On a wooden runway built in the terraced fields of Jiabang in southwest China's Guizhou Province, Miao ethnic villagers, dressed in their finest attire, stepped forward to present a new fashion show featuring intangible cultural heritage.

Silver ornaments jingled in their hair, as some villagers carried farming tools like hoes and plows, and baskets filled with live ducklings and fish fry, proudly showcasing agricultural traditions that have been passed down for thousands of years.

Terraces served as the backdrop for models who wore dresses adorned with Miao embroidery, batik and silver elements, as they strutted on the runway. Robots and robotic dogs, dressed in Miao embroidery, also participated in the show.

Stephen Jones, an Australian tourist who was visiting China for the fifth time, used his mobile phone to capture the scene, repeatedly praising the fashion show, along with the mountain scenery and rice paddies nearby. "Compared to Australia, China has thousands of years of history and rich minority cultures. It's my first time visiting the Jiabang Terraces, which brings me an unparalleled travel experience, especially the celebrations of those agricultural activities and the customs of local ethnic minorities," Jones said.

"The show mixing the current fashion design with traditional culture and history is very good. Those delicate embroidery cloth are made by hand. Love to see the children here in rural community, especially those small children dressing their costume and display to the world, very adorable and amazing performance," he added. "It's good to experience and witness these celebration activities. It's an unforgettable journey for me."

German blogger Robert Adolf, who was filming the event, moved excitedly near the runway. Before the show started, he recorded a short video in German, introducing the natural beauty of the Jiabang Terraces while documenting his first fashion show experience at this location.

"The choice of this spot for the show is special and beautiful. With traditional cultural elements combined with modern performances, this is a great way to show the world the vibrant culture of the Miao people," Adolf said.

"I was invited last minute to walk on the runway along with the local villagers. Seeing so many villagers showcase their traditional costumes and ethnic culture was really fun and captivating, so I decided to join in," Adolf added.

Lucie Portet, a tourist from Paris, admitted that she was filled with surprise and wonder at the Jiabang Terraces. On a journey through Asia, she decided to extend her stay in China by two months to further explore the western regions of the country.

"I love Guizhou. The beauty here is vibrant and full of joy. Originated from the fields, Guizhou's grassroot fashion show uses its language of fashion to express this universally shared beauty. It gives me an opportunity to see and understand China's unique ethnic culture," Portet said.

"The field is the best runway. Farming tools and evening dresses together bring China's intangible cultural heritage to life in the terraces. We want to showcase China's cultural confidence to the world, and we also hope to use the village fashion show model to blend the traditional and modern, past and future, China and the world, into a multi-cultural exchange," said Gao Changjiang, executive director of the village fashion show.

"This June, Guizhou's village fashion show will take China's intangible cultural heritage to the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka in Japan, thereby delivering this intangible cultural heritage fashion show to a broader international stage," Gao said.

German blogger Robert Adolf, dressed in local ethnic costume, participates in a fashion show in the terraced fields of Jiabang in southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Xuanni)

Lucie Portet (2nd R), a tourist from Paris, France, poses for a group photo with local ethnic minorities near terraced fields of Jiabang in southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Xuanni)