A tradition worth dyeing for

"I think that incorporating Dong cloth in fashion design is a natural development, just like Dior has used Dong jacquard fabric in its collection, introducing traditional Dong craftsmanship to more people," Chou says.

She refers to the several outfits on show at Dior's studio in Paris which, under the supervision of Dior's artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri, have smartly integrated the Dong jacquard, of the classic beige-blue geometric patterns, with the fine silhouette of haute couture to present high quality and a modern outlook.

Such a combination of Eastern tradition and Western design is, according to Dior, to connect people with those industrious women in Dali Dong village, who together weave and dye, and create a variety of patterns that have been sourced from nature and found in the objects and animals in their day-to-day life.