Girl makes Lahu brocade trendy in Lancang, Pu’er

Trendy designs of the Lahu brocade by Shannan Buyu

When it comes to the Lahu brocade in southwest Yunnan’s Pu'er city, we would think of "a craft of our mothers' generation."

The sun and terraced field patterns woven from cotton and linen threads carry the Lahu people's reverence for heaven and earth, yet they were often labeled as "outdated".

 

Trendy designs of the Lahu brocade by Shannan Buyu

In Kalang village of Fubang township, Pu'er’s Lancang county, however, the traditional Lahu brocade has been given new elements of fashion and trend by a young girl with the alias name of Shannan Buyu.

Together with her team, the girl immersed herself in the village with a youthful perspective. Having observed the Lahu fabric, she noticed nothing outdated but something that is potentially trendy. What truly captivated the team was how to turn the intangible heritage into something modern.

 

Trendy designs of the Lahu brocade by Shannan Buyu

They changed the once full-front totems into "mini symbols" the size of smartphone screens. The sun pattern is now reduced to a single, dynamic arc, while the terraced field pattern is simplified into geometric lines.

The designs by Shannan are simply game changing! Now the Lahu earrings and necklaces look distinctive. More and more fashionists asked, "Which trendy brand released these?"

 

Trendy designs of the Lahu brocade by Shannan Buyu

If you are interested, why not visit the village and take a trendy piece of yours.

Reporting by Wang Lina (Lancang Digital Media Center); Trans-editing by Wang Shixue