As part of the celebrations of the China-ASEAN Cultural Exchange 2014, an exhibition featuring traditional costumes from China and other ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries kicked off at the Chinese Museum of Women and Children in China’s capital city of Beijing, on April 8, 2014. Chinese minister of Culture Cai Wu and Burmese deputy minister of Culture Daw Sandar Khin attended the exhibition “Glamour to Wear” and both delivered a speech. On April 10, the special dialogue with the theme ‘Heritage and Development of China-ASEAN Costumes’ started at NE.TIGER.

The activity of ‘Special Dialogue’ was conducted by vice-chairman of the China Fashion Association Zhang Qinghui, and in which chairman of China Fashion Association Li Dangqi, deputy director of Chinese Museum of Women and Children made speeches at the beginning. The costume designer and art director of NE.TIGER Zhang Zhifeng answered questions from reporters.

China-ASEAN costumes have a long history in developing and renovating changes within social thought and aesthetic taste. Different nations and various regions influence and learn from each other, which makes costumes more colorful and amazing. Costumes, as one of the most precious cultural heritage ,is of great historical, cultural, spiritual and artistic value. Nowadays, the rediscovered traditional elements have been applied in fashionable designs in which they can continue to exist and influence people’s life and cultural concepts. The speakers at the dialogue came up with various ideas, providing a new direction and possibility for tfurther communication of China-ASEAN costumes.

The dialogue also included programs, such as singing, ikebana, tea ceremony, Guchin performance and a clothing show, from which the present members learned the unique glamour of Chinese culture.