Blog

Mar 13, 2025

Shiatzy Chen Fall 2025: Spotlight on Miao Embroidery

Shiatzy Chen dedicated her fall 2025 collection to Miao embroidery, one of China’s intangible cultural heritages commonly found in the mountainous region of Guizhou province. Twenty giant posters

Shiatzy Chen dedicated her fall 2025 collection to Miao embroidery, one of China’s intangible cultural heritages commonly found in the mountainous region of Guizhou province.

Twenty giant posters covered the walls of the venue inside Palais de Tokyo, depicting Miao mythological tales, such as the love story between the butterfly and the phoenix, that can be traced back to the Neolithic era.

More from WWD

'Black Bag' Costume Designer Ellen Mirojnick Talks Evoking 'London Coolness' in Steven Soderbergh's Latest Film

Sergio Rossi Collaborates With Rising Stars Duran Lantink, Hodakova on Paris Fashion Week Runway Shoes

Barcelona-based Mango Reports Heady 2024 Growth

The designer expressed these colorful, primitive iconographies with Miao embroidery techniques in her signature elevated, East-meets-West fashion. She worked with seven Miao artisans, fusing 10 different styles of embroidery across the collection, adding thoughtful details to an overall modern proposition. Embroidered ribbon trims added color to elegant tweed sets, and auspicious motifs helped add a dash of playfulness to the formal attire.

According to Chen, compared to the sophisticated Suzhou-style embroidery she has played with for decades, Miao embroidery is more untamed, robust and carefree.

The Miao people are master silversmiths, too. Chen reinterpreted the metal connection with metal studs on leather bib tops, quilted jackets, and the collar of a mandarin jacket. She also showed 10 one-off handbags, each depicting the beauty of one of the Miao embroidery styles.

The designer said she is committed to preserving China’s vanishing traditional crafts. She has been training workers in her factories, and she hopes that they can eventually return to their hometowns and open their workshops and become the guardians of the intangible cultural heritage.

Among them, one embroiderer has already successfully returned to Guizhou to open her workshop and contributed to the fall collection.

“I hope that there will be more such embroiderers in the future, driving more people to join this cause. I hope that through this show, we can show the unique allure of Chinese traditional crafts to the world,” said Chen.

Launch Gallery: Shiatzy Chen Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear Collection

Best of WWD

Windowsen RTW Spring 2022

Louis Shengtao Chen RTW Spring 2022

Vegan Fashion Week Returns to L.A. With Nous Etudions, Vegan Tiger on the Runway

Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.