Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the founding of Donghua University, recently, the exhibition series “History and Innovation: Chinese Textile and Clothing Intangible Cultural Heritage (Chapter One: Han Ethnicity)” officially kicked off at the Shanghai Museum of Textile and Costume in Donghua University. President Yu Jianyong, Jiang Wei, Chief of Xinhua News Agency Shanghai Branch, Vice President Chen Nanliang, Ruan Li, Deputy Director of Shanghai City Culture Innovation Office and Deputy Director of Shanghai Municipal Committee of Economy and Informatization, Shen Liang, Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Head of the Publicity Department of Municipal Government News Office, Chen Wen, Vice Chairman of China Fashion Association as well as heads of the College of Fashion and Design, the College of Humanities, Shanghai Textile and Clothing Museum and related functional departments attended the event.
On behalf of Donghua University, Jianyong Yu welcomed the guests and congratulated the successful unveiling of this exhibition. He noted that on the occasion of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of Donghua, which is also the first textile college established in New China, this exhibition is not only a tribute to Chinese textile and apparel culture, but also the inheritance and reinterpretation of Chinese excellent traditional culture. He said that the University, answering the call for building first-class disciplines, will achieve more fruits in special disciplines such as textiles, clothing, and design while inheriting and innovating Chinese excellent traditional culture, to make new contribution to the development of China's textile and apparel industry and the construction of Shanghai as a fashion capital.
Nearly a hundred intangible cultural heritage works are on static display in this exhibition.The event focused on the historical and innovative themes of Han’s textile and clothing intangible cultural heritage for the first time, giving a glimpse of China’s excellent traditional skills, textile and clothing culture, and the inheritance and innovation of contemporary fashion, making a reorganization for the intangible cultural heritage of textile and apparel from an academic perspective, and offering an overview of contemporary "Chinese style".
The historical works among the exhibits include not only related collections in the "Donghua Collection", but also the contribution from famous collectors Professor Bao Mingxin, Professor Li Chaode, and Mr. Cai Mingqiang, fully demonstrating the historical splendor of Han’s textile and clothing intangible cultural heritage. In the contemporary innovation section, there are the achievements of national intangible cultural heritage protection units, the works of famous companies and artists, and also the creations of many up-and-coming fashion designers, which embodies the latest progress in inheritance and innovation of Han’s textile and clothing intangible cultural heritage in the field of contemporary clothing and fashion, represents the practical exploration of independent fashion culture and offers a benchmark and reference for the protection and utilization of textile and clothing intangible cultural heritage and the formation of contemporary fashion.
Professor Bian Xiangyang, curator of the exhibition and curator of the Shanghai Museum of Textile and Costume, believes that with the fast development of cultural construction in the new era with socialistic characteristics, the contemporary inheritance of Chinese fine clothing culture has entered a new stage, and represented by Hanfu, chi-pao and national fashion, “Chinese style” clothing has become a new trend in the society. "From an academic perspective, the reorganization of textile and clothing intangible cultural heritage and the re-summation of the contemporary ‘national style’ have become an urgent need for social and cultural construction, the building of a fashion capital, and the construction of the fashion consumer industry. It is also the responsibility of universities and museums. In view of this, the Shanghai Museum of Textile and Costume will launch a series of activities themed "History and Innovation: Chinese Textile and Clothing Intangible Cultural Heritage" year by year."
"The past envisions the future, and inheritance ensures innovation". It has become the top choice for contemporary inheritance of Chinese cultural genes to take intangible cultural heritage as the origin, combine modern aesthetics, innovate design and artistic creations, integrate into real life, activate high-end markets and creative industries, and enrich public culture. The promotion of traditional culture and the revitalization of traditional crafts have become an integral part of the national "inheritance and development project of Chinese excellent traditional culture", "protection and utilization of intangible cultural heritage", and "revitalization plan for Chinese traditional crafts". On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of Donghua University, the exhibition, History and Innovation: Chinese Textile and Clothing Intangible Cultural Heritage (Chapter One: Han Ethnicity), co-sponsored by Donghua University, China National Garment Association and China Fashion Association, and carefully curated by Shanghai Textile and Clothing Museum has become another powerful boost to the rapid improvement of China's textile and clothing industry and Shanghai's fashion consumer industry, as well as the accelerated transformation of Shanghai as a fashion capital.
