The 2026 Guizhou Fashion Week kicked off at the cascading rice terraces beside the Guiyang Museum of Memory on Hands on Aug 25.

Fashion models showcase ethnic-inspired collections amid lush rice paddies and mountain woodlands during the 2026 Guizhou Fashion Week. [Photo/Guiyang news network]

The event brought together three design brands – Lichangde, Songjing, and Toji – all inspired by intangible cultural heritage (ICH), using fashion and traditional craftsmanship to interpret the relationship between humans and nature.

The performance opened with the ancient local opera known as Dixi Opera, often called "the living fossil of Chinese theater".

South African international choreographer Gerhard van Rooyen and Zhou Shun, a provincial-level ICH inheritor of Anshun Dixi Opera, appeared in full Dixi costumes and performed traditional dance steps, delivering a collaborative opening piece that blended Guizhou's local heritage with contemporary elements.

The fashion week also created a platform for collaboration between schools and enterprises. On Aug 26, teachers and students from Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, Guizhou Minzu University, Guizhou Light Industry Polytechnic University, and Guiyang Vocational and Technical College presented original design works on the runway.

Additionally, from Oct 1 to 4, the organizers will host an ICH Market at Guiyang's AYDC Public Art Center.     

A model showcases a stunning Miao costume with an elaborate silver headdress. [Photo/Guiyang news network]

A model walks through the lush rice paddy, presenting creative ethnic-style couture paired with a striking geometric headdress. [Photo/Guiyang news network]