L600mm, China
A wrapped around skirt of the Miao tribe.
The Miao tribe made their own costume, fabric from scratch.
Starting from the plant, making threads, weaving, wax resist painting, dyeing, making a costume.
Please watch this amazing documentary about the Miao and the hemp, it is a million time better than I can describe in words.
Head Circumference 590mm, Australia
Fiber weaving is a craft that has been practiced by the Aboriginal tribes in Australia.
Daily objects such as baskets, nets, etc. are made with plant fiber collected from the area, typically pale rush (Juncus Pallidus), white flag iris (Diplarreana Moraea) and forest flax lily (Dianella Tasmanica) according to the different seasons. The grass will be dried over a slow fire and stripped before they are use for weaving.
European Size 41
The name “Thousand Layer Sole” came from the fact that the sole is made with numerous layer of cloth held together with rice glue and hand stitching. It is a common way of making traditional shoes in China, according to the archaeologists the technique has been around since the Zhou dynasty (700 BC).
Click to see how it is made, maybe you can try making it at home!
And here is how mom has learnt it as a child.
European Size 38, China
The first record of slipper in China were found in the Nan Song Dynasty 1200 AD, not invention but in a travel log for a visit to India, a pair of shoes with open heel must be a novelty to the ambassador. It is recorded in detail that there are 2 types; one type is probably the ancestor of flip flop (the paduka), it has a leather sole and a tiny bone in the middle, one would wear it with the tiny bone in between the toes. The second type has a red leather strap that run around the sole of the slipper (who anyone know what is this other type that the traveller has seen/).
For the Chinese New Year, it is common for the parents to make tiger theme costume for their children. We have incorporated the tiger pattern with the biker’s head wrap which make it more fashionable for teenager and adults alike.
Tiger is admired for its strength and bravery, it is believe that not only will the tiger protect the children but they will also grow up to be as strong as the tiger.
See our our tiger items.
Original tiger hats are also available.
We will like to take this opportunity to wish you a happy Chinese New Year!
Kung Kei Fat Choy!
The shop will be closed during the festival and reopen again on 4th February (Tue) Chinese New Year day 5.
L940xW50mm, China
This embroidery band is for the tying the end of the trouser leg. This was part of a typical Chinese costume until the introduction of the western style garments, you can still see the older generation still keeping up this tradition. Along with the long Manchu grown “qipao”, the pot bottom shoes and the pig tail imposed in China by the Manchurian. Before setting up the Qing dynasty, the Jurchen tribe was a nomadic tribe who often spend their days on horse back, the puttee was a beautiful functional accessory for their costume.
RIM DIA220mm, China
This felt hat is part of the Beijing Opera costume, it is one that is worn by the Chou (clown) character. Within the clown category, it is separated into the fighters and the intellectuals (I guess for clowns, this would mean the non-fighters). This hat is used by a type of intellectual clowns known as the Towel Clown (Jin Zi Chou) in the role of an old and amusing man. The most famous of the Towel Clown is Chong Gung Dou, the old guard who helped the loyal prostitute Su San to escape.
W700xH1400mm, China
This costume belonged to the wizard of the minority Dong tribe. In the villages of Guang Xi area, each village will have their own wizard, whom like Harry Potter are passed down from generations of wizards. The wizard would make offering to the gods as well as casting away the evil ghosts. Life in the villages are harsh, whenever sickness or other misfortune fell on a family, they would asked the wizard to see if the place needed cleansing.
RIM DIA160mm, China
On the Tea Horse Route, there are gangs of horse cavavanners who take up the job for transporting goods through the network of narrow mountain pathway from Yunnan. Their routes connects Beijing and other big Chinese cities to Tibet, South East Asia, India, Africa and Europe. They were the main form of trade transport before the arrival of railways and roads. Nevertheless, even today, they cavavanners are still the main porters for the Pu Erh tea of Yunnan.
The life of the cavavanners take up a lot of hardship; camping at where ever they stop, taking care of the goods and the horses, facing all sorts of danger and unexpected danger on their journey. All these made the groups unite and willful, not only do they look out for their gang members but also other gangs. The palm fiber hat is part of the gang costume that unified the group.
L700mm, Thailand
This smart garment belongs to the Striped Hmong tribe (Hmoob Txaij) of Thailand, they are one of the 5 hill tribes in the area between Northern Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. Amongst the Hmong tribes, there are 4 sub tribe – White Hmong, Green Hmong, Striped Hmong and Hmong Chinese. The Striped Hmong’s costume have striped bands on the arms.
Mountain Folkcraft 