On 9 September 2026, the Dutch edition of New Threads: Contemporary Narratives of Chinese Fashion Heritage, an international touring exhibition supported by the China National Arts Fund 2026 Communication, Exchange and Promotion Programme, opened at the China Cultural Center in The Hague.

The opening brought together Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands Shen Bo and his wife; Yu Jian, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy; Yuan Zonggang, Deputy Director of the Ethnic Costume Museum at Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT); Hu Xiaomei, Associate Research Fellow at the museum; Dutch art historian and China researcher at Wereldmuseum Rosalien van der Poel; Chinese painter and calligrapher Elisa Radhikumar; sinologist and publisher Lemarli; representatives of Alliance Française La Haye Anne-Sophie Dodart de l’Hermite and Elijah Obanda; and other guests from the cultural sector.

Speaking on behalf of the organizers, Yuan Zonggang described Chinese clothing as “history worn on the body.” Featuring more than 200 exhibits, the exhibition places traditional ethnic costumes alongside contemporary original designs, showing how centuries-old craftsmanship and aesthetics continue to inspire fashion today.

Guest speaker Elisa Radhikumar focused on the future of tradition. She noted that fashion is more than clothing: it carries culture, history and identity. What makes the exhibition particularly compelling, she said, is that tradition is not simply preserved, but given new life and continues to inspire new generations.

Hu Xiaomei delivered a lecture entitled The Art of Warp and Weft: Chinese Craftsmanship and the Spirit of Cherishing Materials. Starting with the question “What can one traditional costume contain?”, she explored clothing as a carrier of form, pattern, craftsmanship and memory, and introduced the Chinese philosophy of making thoughtful use of materials, avoiding waste, expressing values through craftsmanship and conveying emotion through clothing.

After the lecture, guests toured the exhibition and had the opportunity to try on traditional ethnic costumes, taking a closer look at patterns, textiles and techniques passed down through generations.

The exhibition received enthusiastic responses from guests. Rosalien van der Poel described it as an important and impressive exhibition and said she felt privileged to see the works in person in 2026. Sinologist Lemarli praised the way “culture and fashion intertwine across time,” while Elisa Radhikumar highlighted the fascinating combination of historical and contemporary fashion, particularly the details and fabrics. Representatives of Alliance Française La Haye also expressed their interest in further practical cooperation between the two cultural institutions.

The opening ceremony was hosted by Wang Zheng, Director of the China Cultural Center in The Hague. She noted that a nationwide public transport strike in the Netherlands on the day of the opening prevented a number of guests from outside The Hague from attending. The fact that many others nevertheless found alternative ways to join the event, she said, reflected the genuine interest in cultural dialogue. The Center will continue to serve as a bridge for deeper cultural exchange between China and the Netherlands.

A day earlier, on 8 September, a delegation from Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology visited the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI). The two institutions exchanged views on fashion education, materials, craftsmanship and innovation, and discussed opportunities for academic cooperation and future exchanges. The visit was facilitated by the China Cultural Center in The Hague and marked a promising step towards closer dialogue between fashion education institutions in China and the Netherlands.

The exhibition runs until mid-September. More than 200 exhibits are presented across four thematic sections — Encoding, Translation, Weaving and Coexistence — tracing the continuity and contemporary transformation of Chinese fashion heritage.

Xinhua News Agency and other media covered the opening ceremony.