Tradition Gets A New Look
2017, the Moulin Rouge, Paris. A young Chinese man dressed in a traditional Miao costume was stopped by a doorman because the theater dress code recommends “elegant attire.”
“What I’m wearing is the formal costume of my hometown, the dress code.” He explained. The doorman let him in and sighed, “I like your outfit. Where can I buy it?”
This young man, Zhang Kejia, is a costume designer. Originally from the Miao ethnic group in Guizhou Province, he first dabbled in film and television design before pursuing further fashion studies in France.
The 33-year-old has been forging a deeper connection with his Miao identity ever since that night at the Moulin Rouge. He has been
