Hunan's traditional crafts turn heads at Paris fashion show

The traditional works of Tujia brocades, Miao embroidery, and gambiered Guangdong gauze designed by Zhou Zhaohui, president of Hunan College of Art, amazed the audience in a recent fashion event held in Paris. The works integrate Hunan's intangible cultural heritage with contemporary aesthetics, exuding not only the elegance of Oriental formal attire but also the vivacity of modern design, demonstrating the contemporary vitality of Chinese traditional crafts to the world. "Who would have thought Chinese traditional crafts could be this chic, providing a fresh wellspring of inspiration for Western haute couture," Zhou quoted an on-site French designer as saying. Earlier this year, Zhou's works were exhibited in the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and the Bahamas when Zhou, a first-class stage designer, visited the three countries together with an exchange delegation from the Central China province.

连日来，湖南艺术职业学院设计艺术学院院长、一级舞美设计师周朝晖的作品，先后亮相巴黎"中国之光——巴黎时尚艺术周"、2025莫干山植染大地艺术季，及湖南省文联文化交流团赴多米尼加、哥斯达黎加、巴哈马三国的访问演出，向世界展现中国传统工艺的当代活力。

在巴黎"中国之光——巴黎时尚艺术周"上，其融合湖湘非遗与当代美学的"云霓锦瑟"礼服，在WILDE艺术中心惊艳观众。该作品以"东方云肩的当代诗意"为核心，用蓝色金丝绒作底，搭配土家织锦与网纱，既显东方礼服典雅，又具现代设计灵动，是"非遗再生"理念的深度实践。

"这是湖湘非遗'活态出海'的突破。"周朝晖说，巴黎观众触摸土家织锦时的惊叹令她印象深刻，一位法国设计师更是感慨："中国传统工艺竟能如此时尚，为西方高级定制提供全新灵感。"

此前，她的设计作品已在拉美三国引发热潮，四篇章系列尽显文化出海智慧："湘遇经纬"让土家锦、苗绣与西方牛仔面料碰撞，实现"慢工艺"与"快时尚"互补；"湘水墨韵"结合香云纱与西式高级定制剪裁，激活东方意境；"湘云苗裳"坚守"守正"，原汁原味呈现苗族服饰的"迁徙史书"特质；"湘颂华章"聚焦传统婚俗，用"龙凤呈祥""鸾凤和鸣"纹样新中式婚服，传递人类对美好生活的共同向往。多米尼加观众直言："在熟悉的牛仔服饰上看到中国手工技艺，既惊叹又喜欢！"

"我始终在找与国际审美的'接轨点'。"周朝晖表示，希望未来世界提起"中国风"，不仅想到龙纹、凤纹，更能记起湖湘的文化宝藏——"土家织锦的斑斓、侗锦的素雅、苗绣的灵动，都值得被世界看见和喜爱。"

作为资深设计师，周朝晖曾主创《忠诚之路》《楚辞》等十多部大型剧目服装，多部作品入选国家艺术基金并获"田汉大奖"，个人获"田汉舞美奖"；她还策划"出画入戏——古画复活"等IP，复原多幅古画人物造型展演，时装艺术作品10余次登上米兰、巴黎等国际时装展，持续助力非遗出海。（图片由受访者本人提供）