Designer uses paper, brocade in one fashion show

Hu admitted that his visit to the Ci Jin factory enabled him to see how much effort it requires to produce the precious textile. “I had so much reverence for the yunjin brocade that I had an almost ritualistic caution when I treated those fabrics,” he recalled.

Qiu Caijuan, director of the Ci Jin Intangible Cultural Heritage Art Museum in Wuhan, Hubei province, raved about the collaboration her brand had with Hu Sheguang.

She said that Hu’s designs filled her eyes with tears as they shattered the popular stereotype that Chinese intangible cultural heritage techniques are old and outdated, and showcased the deep heritage and artistic flair of the yunjin brocade.

Wang Weijun, a manager at Ci Jin, told reporters after the show that the collaboration with an haute couture designer like Hu transformed yunjin brocade, a fabric involving intangible cultural heritage techniques, from lofty artworks into fashion pieces.

The significance of this fashion show is to give consumers the opportunity to change from being merely viewers of intangible cultural heritage to its experiencers, wearers, and promoters, Wang added.

Hu Sheguang’s JIN series was launched as part of the 2026 Spring/Summer Beijing Fashion Week.