Chinese designers showcase works at Yiwu fair

Cao Xiaolan shows a bag she designed featuring the doors of the Palace Museum.[Photo provided to China Daily]

More than 60 Chinese designers showed their works at the China Yiwu Cultural Products Trade Fair held in Zhejiang province late last month.

The exposition showcased more than 200 pieces by the designers, including silk scarves with Chinese paintings on them, accessories inspired by traditional embroidery and modern Chinese furniture.

The designers were trained in a national program financed by the central government and run by the Central Academy of Cultural Administration.

Over the last three years, the program has seen more than 1,800 participants trained by famous designers.

So far, more than 100 pieces of work by the participants have been transformed into products under the program, creating more than 100 million yuan ($14.5 million) of value, says Zhou Qingfu, head of the Central Academy of Cultural Administration.

Cao Xiaolan, who was trained in the program, was chosen to design for the Palace Museum and the National Museum of China.

Her bag collection that features the iconic doors of the Palace Museum is one of the best-sellers for the museum.

For the latest exposition, she has two collections, one of accessories and the other of cutlery, both inspired by her travels in East China.

Zeng Hui, deputy director of Beijing Design Week's organizing committee, says: "Everything starts with designers and the program is a very good platform for them to learn and communicate. It is also a bridge between designers and the mass market," he says.