[China story] Li Lifeng grows to be Yi fashion designer in Yunnan village

Li Lifeng, 40, was born in Zhiju Village, Yongren County in Yunnan’s Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture. Here, the annual Costume Festival held by the local Yi ethnic minority community, has a history of more than 1,300 years and is considered as the oldest fashion show in Chinese history.

When Li Lifeng got married in 2000, the flourishing cultural industry in China was bringing opportunities to her hometown. Villagers could not see the business prospects available in the embroidery industry at that time, but the local women were enthusiastic. Under the guidance of the government, embroidery workshops were set up in every village.

In 2006, the county established the Association of Yi Ethnic Embroidery. Li Lifeng moved to the county seat and became secretary-general of the association. From then on, she went from village to village to look for outstanding embroiderers to train other villagers, in the process building strength for the development of the Yi ethnic embroidery industry.

Seeing the business opportunities brought about by these changes, Li Lifeng and her friends co-founded a company, but they had to borrow money for registration and operation costs. “We borrowed a few hundred yuan here and another few hundred there, and the company was finally established,” she said. “I believe people in China’s big cities will love our embroidery after living in boxes of cement and iron bars for such a long time.”

Li Lifeng acts as co-founder and chief technician at her company. To date, she has made countless pieces of embroidery, including applique patterns, double-button garments and patches. Sometimes she is woken up by phone calls from people placing orders in the middle of the night.

Recent years have seen Li Lifeng’s products exported to Europe and Southeast Asian countries. This year, she is also collaborating with Singaporean designers in exploring the Nepalese market. There, she plans to add Yi ethnic embroidery elements to local cashmere scarves. Last year, the company’s products achieved an output value of more than four million yuan and net profit of more than 700,000 yuan.

 “I hope the Yi ethnic embroidered costumes will someday find their way to the stage of international fashion weeks. Wearing embroidered clothes is like wearing nature itself,” she said.

 Chinese source: Xinhua; Editor: Wang Shixue