Brides of the Mountain showcased Chinese Yi bridal dress during London Craft Week as it returned for its 11th year.
The festival saw more than 200 locations promote local, national and international craftsmanship.
China has become more prevalent in the UK news as both Trump and Putin visited Beijing, however their vast culture is something to be recognised.
Yi Crafts, an East and Southeast Asian handcrafting studio based in Brent, partnered with Moonland Nuosu, a Southwest Chinese jewellery brand, to showcase how Yi bridal dress is created and carries meaning woven by matriarchal figures at the Fitzrovia Gallery.
Moonland Nuosu’s UK director Chelsea Su said: “Women decide what is beautiful.
“What a colourful culture we have. [This showcase is about] the traditional living in the modern world. Good things shouldn’t be put in museums to be looked at but worn everyday.”
She added London Craft Week is a good stage to show the work of her community and encourage young people to learn these skills and keep their identity alive.
This was proven in the exhibition layout – it highlighted Yi minority handiwork as much as promoting Moonland Nuosu’s jewellery through taking guests on a journey of exploration.
The exhibition was split into three areas: Liangshan, Yunnan and home, and explored the different Yi crafts across the Hengduan mountain region in Southwest China.
This year’s showcase was the second of many that will focus on Chinese minority dress in an effort to share its stories in a deeper and more meaningful way.
Yi Crafts founder Yiran Duan explained the history of Yi bridal wear. “When the daughter is born, the mother starts making a wedding dress, so it’s actually a sad concept,” she said.
“It’s a dress for separation, it’s a dress for giving your daughter away, it’s a dress for the last time you’re able to look after your daughter.”
Intrinsic to the showcase’s message was the theme of identity. Moonland Nuosu’s jewellery used motifs, references and colours often seen in Yi dress allowing it to be seen as an avenue of cultural preservation that moulds to modern day living.
Dr David Francis is a lecturer at SOAS and researcher at UCL, and is also a co-convener of the curating Asian art module in the SOAS-Alphawood Asian art programme.
When asked if he thought contemporary jewellery served as a way to erase history, he said: “Smaller jewellery can be more personal to you, it’s like I’m taking this identity with me and it [serves as] a reminder for myself.
“[And] if you’re not from that group, you [may] feel comfortable wearing an earring, and being like this is something that I myself can take, but doesn’t feel so big that it feels like cultural appropriation.”
The term ‘craftsmanship’ has seen an uptick in popularity until May this year over the past five years, according to Google Trends.
As consumers look for more curated and meaningful wearables, festivals like London Craft Week have already cornered that market through providing foreign makers with a sizeable platform of responsive buyers.
Yi Crafts’ showcase next year may look completely different but its devotion to promoting Chinese culture on the Western stage is one thing that will stay.
Featured image credit: Susu Anitche
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