“I held the show in Shanghai because dongbei dahua was born here and I want to re-define it as a classical pattern in fashion,” Hu told reporters during an interview after the release.

“As many brands are characterized by a certain color or style, I think dongbei dahua is the same to me,” said the designer, adding that he aspires to influence a generation of people with this pattern and help it go global as a culture.

Hu has been studying traditional Chinese patterns. “The royal patterns housed in the Palace Museum, and those in paper cuts, Batik, shadow plays and ancient architecture, are all our precious cultural heritage worth researching and revitalizing through fashion,” he remarked.

“Heritage can only be truly passed down when it becomes a part of people’s daily lives. This is not only the goal of cultural inheritance efforts but also a mission of mine as a fashion designer.”