By Xinhua writer Zhang Yongxing
SUVA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Twelve pieces of fine collection with typical costume elements of China's Miao ethnic group have stunned audience in this year's Fiji Fashion Week, which just came to its end with the participation of talented designers, beautiful models and avid audience on Saturday night.
"It is amazing and unbelievable," the audience said while giving thundering applause to the models who just finished their wonderful performance by wearing different styles of collection with Miao ethnic costume elements.
"We love these wonderful collection of Miao costume elements, and we love their bright colors, beautiful embroidery and motifs," two middle-aged women told Xinhua while a Fijian girl aged around 15 said that "I like these clothes with Miao style as they are really beautiful and special."
It is not strange for the audience to praise the collection with Miao costume elements as they are really perfect. Even some photographers could not help lauding the collection while being busy taking pictures of the models wearing the uniquely designed clothes.
The two-day Fiji Fashion Week, which has a theme of Resort Cruise 2018, was held at FMF Gymnasium in the capital city Suva. And the specially-decorated performing hall of the facility was crowded with audience, designers and models from Fiji and some other countries like China, India, Vietnam and Australia.
Chen Bin, professor of the fashion institute of the Shanghai-based Donghua University, told Xinhua that the 12 pieces of collection were designed by himself and some of his students. He was not surprised to receive such positive comments from the audience as he believed that the clothes were special with wonderful design of typical elements of Miao costume.
"This is our first successful participation in the Fiji Fashion Week. As you see, this is very interesting for the beautiful foreign models to wear our collection with Miao costume elements. We can say this is a place where fashion meets tradition, and East and West also meet and mingle harmoniously," he said proudly.
In his eyes, the Miao costume, believed to be a history book worn on people, is in fact one of the rare treasures and beautiful flowers in Chinese history and culture.
"It is not only about beautiful clothes, but also about China's long history and culture," he said.
"There are 56 ethnic groups in China, and the costume of the Miao ethnic group in southern China is an important component of China's ethnic costumes. As designers, we should also go out to showcase our fashion design and learn from our foreign colleagues," he said.
For her part, Yang Hui, director of the Confucius Institute at the University of the South Pacific, was also very happy for the successful involvement of Chen Bin's team in this fashion show.
"I am happy for their success and I am happy for our Confucius Institute here as we helped Chen's team take part in the fashion show. We would like to be a bridge of language and culture to help boost the cultural exchange between China and the South Pacific Island states," she said.
This is the 11th year of the Fiji Fashion Week, which is the biggest fashion show in the South Pacific Island states.
