Outfits and accessories designed by Xiong Ying feature iconic elements from the ancient murals and statues of Dunhuang. The collection was presented in Paris in September 2018.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Skills passed down over generations

Xiong is a native of Changde, Hunan province, and says that her interest in the fashion industry started from an early age. When she was 4 years old, she watched her mother and grandmother sewing and making clothes together at home.

From flowers to butterflies, themes in their embroidery patterns kept changing and developing over time, which always surprised Xiong as a child.

Xiong learned embroidery and sketching skills from her mother and grandmother, and enjoyed designing and making clothes for her dolls.

"For me, it's an accessible craft to start, and hand embroidery is both fun and relaxing," says Xiong.

"I have never formally studied fashion design, but it was a skill that I picked up and mastered naturally."

Before launching her fashion brand, Xiong also traveled to Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces to learn Suzhou embroidery, one of the oldest and most-famous embroidery techniques in China.