A catwalk model with garments made of Sichuan Embroidery during an embroidery fashion show at the Shangri-la Hotel in Chengdu. The show is part of a weeklong cultural event entitled"2009 Creative Chengdu" that aims to promote the development of the local creative industry. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com]

by Zheng Zhi

Sichuan embroidery, one of the four major embroidery styles in China, is an elegant art form that dates back 3000 years.

With creative vision and craftsmanship, the time-honored, yet dormant textile art comes to life again at an embroidery-themed fashion show at the Shangri-la Hotel in Chengdu, capital city of southwestern China's Sichuan province.

The show, with a catwalk featuring garments made of Sichuan embroidery, is part of a weeklong event entitled "2009 Creative Chengdu" that will promote the development of the local creative industry.

Jeff Shi, a Taiwan designer and owner of "Dragonfly", a design company in Taipei, said after the show, "Embroidery, in the past, was very much considered decorative items. With modern designs it can create things that not only prove to be of artistic merit, but also make life more beautiful. Embroidery can now be made into sofas, chairs, lamps, or anything you can imagine."