Global Times: Sporting the beauty of traditional legacies and design innovation

BEIJING, Nov. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The sense of beauty has intrigued humanity since the dawn of civilization. Various ancient cultures have developed their own recognizable aesthetics. Among these, Chinese aesthetics has its own unique school of thought.

Today, a fresh wave of neo-Chinese aesthetics, rooted in tradition and blended with contemporary innovation, is reaching people not just in China, but all over the world. Like a spring breeze that turns into a nourishing rain, it flows softly, enriching the hearts of many.

In this series the Global Times will capture the diverse embodiments of neo-Chinese aesthetics across a spectrum of life aspects. The journey to discover beauty begins with the neo-Chinese fashion embraced by today's youth.

A flower-adorned graduation cap and a traditional Chinese shawl known as yunjian, literally "cloud shoulder," paired with a horse-face skirt... this graduation gown infused with traditional Chinese elements, designed by students themselves, made a striking impression on campuses across China this year, turning into a necessary fashion item when taking graduation photos.

Against the backdrop of melodic tunes, models strutted down the runway adorned in meticulously crafted ensembles that bore the hallmark of Chinese culture. The garments, often fashioned from natural materials sourced in China, combined signature Chinese craftsmanship with contemporary tailoring, creating a visual flair that drew fashion enthusiasts and the general public at the China-France Fashion Week.

Whether on Chinese campuses or on the runway of fashion shows in Paris, clothing that seamlessly melds traditional Chinese cultural elements with contemporary design philosophies have begun to command the spotlight, coining the term "neo-Chinese style."

"Chinese aesthetics is not only national but also global," internationally acclaimed fashion designer Laurence Xu told the Global Times when speaking of the reasons behind the popularity of neo-Chinese style fashion.

The aesthetics contained in neo-Chinese style fashion is a kind of "aesthetics of life," which has formed among Chinese youth based on the traditional aesthetics inherited from their ancestors and is also consistent with modern life, Liu Yuedi, a professor at the Institute of Philosophy of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

"The evolution of Chinese aesthetics reflects an active dialogue between Chinese youth and the contemporary era. Through the lens of neo-Chinese style, these young individuals seek to aestheticize their lives, embracing a living-oriented self-expression." 

Cultural roots

"Chinese clothing culture focuses more on whether clothing can show the wearer's spirit and energy, so Chinese designers need to have rich experience to accurately understand both human beings and clothing," Zhang Yan, an emerging Chinese designer who has made a name for himself on international stages such as New York Fashion Week with his neo-Chinese style brand, told the Global Times.

Zhang noted that Taoist philosophy is one of the central concepts underlying his design approach.

"Taoism teaches us to be free and unfettered and avoid the restraints of the trifles of daily life. This is exactly what I want to convey through my clothing."

In his creations, embroidery has enabled Zhang to slow down his pace of life and achieve greater mental stability. He is now working to share this relaxed attitude with others through his clothing.

For creators of neo-Chinese fashion like Zhang, a profound love for and understanding of traditional Chinese culture serves as the source of their inspiration. Similarly, for those who enjoy this type of fashion, their enthusiasm for and pride in tradition have become the motivating factors behind their support.

On Chinese social media platforms, searches for "neo-Chinese style" and "neo-Chinese style outfits" have long exceeded 100 million, while the market size of neo-Chinese style clothing reached 1 billion yuan ($139,66 million) in 2023.

The popularity of Zhang's neo-Chinese style brand has surged in recent years, with an increasing number of Chinese celebrities eager to model outfits that showcase these distinctive Chinese characteristics.

Gao Ai, head of the Jiuge Hanfu Society of the Guangzhou College of Commerce in South China's Guangdong Province, told the Global Times that wearing neo-Chinese style clothes has become a way for young people to express their individuality and love for Chinese culture, allowing them to feel connected to ancient traditions and instilling a sense of responsibility to carry forward this cultural heritage.

Lü Yue, professor of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, highlighted that identification with the national aesthetics cultivated throughout history is a key factor driving the neo-Chinese style trend.

"The trend has been nicknamed 'bloodline awakening' by Chinese netizens, which reveals the cultural confidence of today's Chinese people. More specifically, the rise of the neo-Chinese style represents a return to the roots and innovation of the Chinese people's aesthetics of life," Liu said.

Going beyond tradition

What defines the "neo" in neo-Chinese style fashion design is its "mix-and-match aesthetics" that cater to people's everyday dressing needs, Shu Heng, a young Chinese designer, told the Global Times. 

Around six years ago, the designer launched her own brand. A lot of her clothing incorporates classic clothing designs such as China's Shu embroidery, which has a history of around 3,000 years. 

In order to achieve her mix-and-match design goal, Shu's products always show how modern simplicity can find balance with intricate Chinese patterns.

Take a vest in her 2024 collection for example. It was made from two completely different fabrics sewn together. The left side features a peony pattern embroidered with gold thread, modeled after classic Tang Dynasty (618-907) designs, while the right one looks utterly black. This highly contrasting visual style was Shu's exact goal since "it expresses the wearer's cutting-edge character." 

"I believe the essence of neo-Chinese style lies in how it allows people to express their respect for tradition, while embracing a fashion attitude that goes beyond tradition," the designer noted.

Tian Peng, an inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage known as Beijing embroidery, is also committed to exploring the fusion of modern fashion and tradition, which can inspire young people's interest and love for traditional art and breathe new life into traditional crafts in today's modern world. "By incorporating more diverse details and combining the art of Beijing embroidery with contemporary clothing design, we ensure that fabric selection and application align with international fashion trends," Tian said. 

Tian noted that visual design is a language that transcends words and exists in a broader dimension. As part of China's traditional aesthetic craftsmanship, Beijing embroidery can serve as a medium to showcase traditional Chinese aesthetics and reflect contemporary aesthetic concepts.

Through clothing such as Hanfu, the traditional attire which used to be worn by ethnic-majority Han Chinese, Beijing embroidery not only ­showcases the unique charm of ­Chinese culture but also fosters ­communication and harmony with the world. This kind of cross-boundary integration not only expands the application of Beijing embroidery but also opens up broader possibilities for its long-term preservation, Tian noted.

"In this process, we not only retain the essence of traditional craftsmanship but also connect it with modern life, providing new possibilities for the spread and development of traditional aesthetics in contemporary society," he said.

Global feast

At the China-France Fashion Week in 2023, Xu's fusion of Western structural cuts with classic Chinese designs and the use of exquisite Yunjin brocade, a traditional silk brocade, adorned with Miao ethnic and Suzhou embroidery techniques showcased the meticulous craftsmanship and contemporary expression of Chinese culture to global audiences. 

Young designer Zhang, who just came back from Milan Fashion Week 2025, has also won lots of applause for his neo-Chinese designs.

Like them, more and more emerging Chinese designers are entering the spotlight on international stages by bringing ethnic designs to the world's leading fashion galas.

In international metropolises such as Paris, New York, London, and Milan, neo-Chinese designs have been changing the perception of overseas consumers toward Chinese clothing exports. Textile enterprises in ­Haining, Zhejiang Province, have received large orders for jacquard fabrics and horse-face skirts from Southeast Asia amid the 2024 Spring Festival. During all this, the core of this fashion style, Chinese youth's pursuit of the aesthetics of life, is also being conveyed to the world.

"Neo-Chinese style exists not only in the fashion industry but also reflects a contemporary social aesthetic trend. China's clothing culture is inclusive and diverse, remaining alive in the present day," Niu Hongjuan, a historian specializing in Chinese clothing, told the Global Times.

The influence of the neo-Chinese style is not limited to clothing.

"This kind of aesthetic can be used in daily life in different areas, such as making tea by the fire or travel photography, and can continue to flourish in different cultural backgrounds," Liu noted.