Neo-Chinese style fashion designing has gained limelight at China Fashion Week in Beijing, which began March 23 and ended Sunday.

This edition of the international fashion show attracted more than 100 fashion brands from 53 countries and more than 170 designers. The products on display covered categories including dresses, sports and leisure, and accessories, many of which are characterized by "neo-Chinese style".
"Neo-Chinese style" is a reinterpretation of traditional Chinese culture in the modern era, or contemporary design based on traditional culture.
The style integrates elements of traditional Chinese culture into modern aesthetics and fashionable design, to express the pursuit of elegant and rich Oriental spiritual realm.
"Many designers have incorporated Chinese elements into their works, such as Dunhuang, blue and white porcelain, Miao embroidery and other forms of intangible cultural heritage. Nowadays, more and more people around the globe are interested in Chinese culture and Chinese fashion. The designers use clothing as a means of expression and let more foreign young people to understand Chinese elements and symbols," said Xie Fangming, vice chairman of China Fashion Association, the host organization of the show.
The incorporation of traditional Chinese culture into contemporary design has also been a frequent topic of discussion among the audience. Xiao Wanqi, an observer of the show, said that selectively preserving and discarding traditional Chinese designs is a hallmark of neo-Chinese style.
"I am a student of fashion design myself, and I watched [the show on] neo-Chinese style that just ended. One of the characteristics of neo-Chinese style is that it gets rid of some complicated patterns of traditional costumes and applies the inherited Chinese design to modern costumes," said Xiao.
Besides watching and discussing, some young observers have already started to dress in neo-Chinese style. Zhang Simeng, a passionate observer, watched the show with neo-Chinese elements on her outfit.
"The handmade yunjian (traditional Chinese shawl) I'm wearing today is a combination of traditional culture, including handicraft of the tangible cultural heritage," Zhang said.