He Fengqin: a Tujia costumes craftsman

By Shen Yuan, Yichang International Communication Studio

Using a loom to weave clothing, He Fengqin has devoted more than 20 years of her life to make Tujia costumes in a "Guochao" style - a macro Chinese fashion trend whose clothes are all based on traditional Chinese culture.

She comes from Yichang, home to more than 460,000 Tujia people and one of the birthplaces of the nationality, one of 55 minorities in China. 

“Unique to Tujia costumes, it has three-lace embroidered collars and a single-line of Chinese knot buttons,” she said.

She became an apprentice of a famous local tailor after graduating from junior high school, learning a series of crafts from him for three years, such as handwork, cutting, and sewing by machine.

In 2011, He founded a clothing company in Changyang, which is an autonomous county of Tujia nationality.

“Visitors used to ask me frequently if Tujia people had traditional costumes. As a Tujia craftsman, I had the idea of exploring Tujia culture and passing on the heritage of Tujia costumes,” she said.

Apart from visiting museums and folk artists, she participated in ethnic cultural and creative training, and went to Guizhou, Hunan and other places seeking inspiration.

Replacing coarse cloth with modern fabric, designing invisible zippers, He innovated constantly and integrated fashion into traditional Tujia costumes.

Gradually, more people became attracted to her work and placed orders for the Tujia costumes, some of which are exported to Japan, the United States and other overseas markets.

He Fengqin weaving Tujia costumes.