Competition in France sees designers using traditional Chinese architectural technique to build innovative apparel, Wang Xin reports

Paper as a clothing fabric has unfolded new possibilities in the hands of Shanghai designers as 20 apparel designs made with paper stunned the world at the closing ceremony of the 47th World-Skills Competition in Lyon, France.

Zhang Zufang, a 72-year-old professor at Donghua University in Shanghai, is the lead designer of this paper apparel.

"I am extremely honored to present the results on such a meaningful occasion and the world stage. China is the birthplace of paper and I feel proud to show the world the strength, culture, techniques and innovation of our university, Shanghai and China," says Zhang.

Following China's triumph at the WorldSkills Lyon 2024 competition with 36 gold, nine silver and four bronze medals, Shanghai is set to host the 48th competition in 2026. It is also worth noting that Shanghai reaped fruitful results at the competition. Eight participants from the city competed in seven events, securing three gold and a bronze.

Chinese participants Lu Junwei and Xie Huiyuan earned the prestigious Albert Vidal Award, recognizing competitors with the highest overall points across all skill competitions.

Echoing the remarkable achievements the Chinese competitors reached, Zhang and her team presented an astonishing show on Sept 15 with exquisite paper apparel that the world had seldom seen before.

With paper as the core and "invitation" as the concept, these pieces feature a blend of Chinese and Western cultural elements, as well as traditional and modern techniques, including sunmao (mortise-and-tenon) joints, paper cutting, paper folding, laser cutting, lanterns, church, pagodas, dragons, irises and the white magnolia — Shanghai's city flower.

Zhang introduced that Tyvek eco-friendly paper and washable kraft paper are the main materials used, making them light, durable, waterproof, sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Instead of using glue or sewing the pieces, Zhang's team skillfully chose traditional Chinese sunmao joints as the main method to make the clothing. Sunmao was often used in ancient Chinese architecture to connect materials without glue or nails. While different from wooden pieces, it has been challenging for the design team to implement the method.

"We made several experiments and adjustments to the techniques we used in making the apparel. Sunmao has many advantages as it is very flexible. With paper pieces of various materials and shapes, we could join them to make plain and three-dimensional creations, so they look light and beautiful," Zhang explains, adding that one piece of a paper dress can be the joint of hundreds of smaller pieces.

This is not Zhang's first attempt to make paper clothing. In 2013, she was invited to create several paper garments for TV hosts at Shanghai Media Group. However, Zhang still met many new challenges in completing the task.

"Unlike the case in 2013, the paper apparel we made this time is not static, as the models are set to walk, run, dance and perform at the ceremony rather than standing still and posing. The biggest challenge this time was to protect the shape and form of the clothing throughout long-distance transportation because paper wrinkles easily and cannot be ironed," says Zhang.

Zhang's team comprises over 50 teachers and students from the College of Fashion and Design at Donghua University and the School of Design and Innovation at the China Academy of Art. Assigned this task in late May, the team managed to produce 22 sets of paper apparel and 10 sets of non-paper futuristic clothing for the closing ceremony.

The team's efforts and hard work over three months paid off in Lyon. The show not only impressed global audiences but also motivated Zhang's team.

"I am honored to represent Shanghai and my country to participate in the world-class event, to show the charm of China's younger generation on a world stage. I am very excited and proud," said Xia Kunpeng, an undergraduate student majoring in costume design and performance at Donghua University, after the performance.

Zhang, as the team's leader and a veteran in the industry for over four decades, is geared up again for her future.

"With the application of sunmao in the paper clothing, we are paying tribute to ancient Chinese wisdom and techniques. I believe the best way to pay our respects is to inherit and innovate," says Zhang.

"Hopefully, we can roll out our experience to the public. I would be more than pleased to share about sunmao and promote traditional Chinese culture to more people."

Contact the writer at wangxin2@chinadaily.com.cn