Chinese and African Designs Dominate the Qipao Festival

Throughout Chinese history, the qipao has proved very popular among native Chinese and foreigners alike. But it is also becoming a familiar scene to see foreigners wearing qipao-especially ones with African designs-on the streets of Beijing, thanks to the large African population here.

Following this trend, the organizers of this year's Qipao Festival have decided to allow participants to dress in both Chinese attire as well as predominantly African designs. Nillah Nyakoa has this report.

China has many proud and time-honored traditions be they culinary, musical, dance or dress. One of the most famous traditional Chinese garments is the qipao which has inspired an annual Qipao Festival in Beijing.

This year's festival incorporates elements of foreign styles-mainly traditional African clothing. And for anyone who wishes to dress in the traditional Chinese garments or their national costumes, the Qipao Festival provides a platform for them to showcase their unique national styles.

Organized by the news paper "Global Times," the event has attracted a host of people mainly from Africa and China.

"The original idea for the Qipao Festival was to bring women from different cultures and different backgrounds together to have many cultural exchanges between foreigners and local nationals."

Samily Kwok is the organizer of and brains behind the Qipao Festival.

"This year is about the qipao and examples of different qipao worn for rituals as well as in modern times. At the very beginning, we show clips from last year because those are the traditional qipao that show the rituals of Chinese heritage and traditions."

Aida Sherman is one of the African designers displaying her designs at the festival. From children's wears to adults' designs, Aida Sherman notes that there is not much difference between the African and Chinese designs.

"As an African designer, you design materials that depict African style. (What are the similarities between the Chinese and African designs?)　The Chinese designs and the African designs both deal with patterns, so we both deal with the patterns on the fabric. So I just wanted to show the Chinese that although we deal with patterns, I just wanted to show that Africans too can have something unique and with style."

Like Sherman who came here to showcase what African style has to offer, young Indonesian designer Judith Olivia says she is also happy to see models wearing her Chinese qipao designs.

"I used the colors black and red because the red is really Chinese, and black makes it a bit mysterious, and to make it so beautiful and calm but still mysterious."

For attendees, the Qipao Festival is all pomp, color and fun, seeing various modern styles incorporated in traditional attire. The attire showcased at the event was a mix-and-match affair.

"I felt very comfortable because I have been in China for three and half years, so I think it's already been incorporated in my life. So it's very comfortable…. "

"I thought it was kind of cute because in a way it was combining the West and the East in an attractive way."

As the colorful event comes to a close, it is evident that traditional attire is still something to be admired and can be worn for any occasion in modern times. The organizers say they hope that a men's version of the event will also be organized to suit the male audience.　

For CRI, I am Nillah Nyakoa.