On February 12, at the Première Vision Paris (referred to as the PV Exhibition), the textile design and innovation team from College of Textiles, DHU, in collaboration with Shanghai Skytex Fashion Technology Co., Ltd, unveiled a stunning Li brocade jacquard handbag. This design demonstrated the creative transformation of Chinese intangible cultural heritage to global designers.
The PV Exhibition in France is a premier textile fabric expo open to professionals worldwide and serves as a reliable indicator of the most authoritative and up-to-date trends in fabric design worldwide. The Li brocade jacquard fabric series showcased at this event chooses the traditional Li ethnic gourd totem from Hainan province in the south of China as the frame of its pattern. Through precise jacquard craftsmanship, it simulates the layered texture of snake scales, with a gradient of blue-green hues symbolizing the vitality of tropical rainforests. A striking vermilion fu character adds a cultural metaphor of blessing and fortune. Attendees were all amazed by the balance between traditional symbols and modern aesthetics in the fabric. An Italian buyer exclaimed, “The fusion of Eastern traditional culture and technological elements redefines the potential use of luxury fabrics”.
"The fabric utilizes ancient Li brocade techniques, aiming to celebrate the auspicious occasion of the Year of the Snake. (2025 is the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac.) It skillfully integrates traditional auspicious symbolism with modern textile technology, enabling the ancient intangible cultural heritage of Li brocade to move towards internationalization," said Professor Xue Wenliangat College of Textiles, DHU, head of the research team. The Li brocade jacquard fabric showcased is not merely a textile material but more like a work of art imbued with unique Eastern charm. Chai Fangjun, the head of Shanghai Skytex Fashion Technology Co., Ltd., attached great importance to this collaboration. He emphasized, “The ‘living inheritance’ of Li brocade needs to open to the world. We use 3D jacquard weaving technology to make the totems ‘flow’, allowing ancient craftsmanship to tell the story of China’s new fashion in Paris”. The “Li Brocade Code” textileseries is not only a tribute to culture of Li ethnics but also a cultural dialogue that transcends geography and time, showcasing its dedication to cultural heritage and its forward-looking and inclusive approach to fashion innovation.
(“Li Brocade Code” TextileSeries )
As early as July 2022, the Textile Design Innovation Team at DHU’s College of Textiles, in collaboration with Shanghai Skytex Fashion Technology Co., Ltd., launched a research project titled “Traditional Weaving Techniques of Jacquard Cotton Fabrics and Their Innovative Applications”. In July and August 2024, the team went to Hainan Province for carrying out the practical activity under the theme “Retracing the Path of Huang Daopo – Exploring the Contemporary Inheritance of Li Ethnic Traditional Cotton Weaving Techniques”. During this journey, the team retraced the footsteps of Huang Daopo, gradually unveiling the mysteries of the ancient Li brocade craft. “Retracing the path of Huang Daopo, as a textile student, I not only experienced the charm of ancient Chinese weaving techniques but also resolved to use my expertise to make the ancient Li brocade craft shine in the modern era.” said Cui Xiangyu, a 2024 doctoral student in Textile Materials and Textile Design. With this mission in mind, Cui Xiangyu and a group of post-00s college students dedicated themselves to the research and development of Li brocade jacquard fabrics. They intertwined the ancient Li brocade techniques with modern Shanghai-style culture, integrating unique Eastern aesthetics into contemporary textile design. Every pattern, motif, and color scheme is carefully considered and refined. Through the skilled hands of these young designers, a series of textile artworks that carry historical depth while showcasing modern elegance have made a stunning debut at the top international fabric exhibition.
The faculty and students of College of Textiles are actively engaged in the inheritance and promotion of outstanding textile traditions, demonstrating the depth and endless charm of Chinese traditional textile culture to the world. Textile civilization realizes innovation and development through cultural communications, while mutual learning fosters its inheritance and promotion.
