Embroidery and other traditional Chinese crafts from the Qianxinan Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture, Guizhou province, were presented at a cultural fashion show held at the Chinese Embassy in London on Sept 11.

It is the second time for the Chinese Embassy in London to hold such an event, to celebrate the anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Britain. 

A cultural fashion show is held at the Chinese Embassy in London on Sept 11. [Photo/ldqxn.com]

Models presented 45 pieces of clothing decorated with floral embroidery stitched by people of the Bouyei ethnic group in the mountainous region.

The event was initiated by Xia Hua, founder of China's Eve Group, and Barbara Judge, an American-British businesswoman and chairman of the Institute of Directors. 

Xia and Judge established B&H, a project that aims to improve the lives of Chinese women in the country's remote regions by supporting their handicrafts.

The B&H project and Qianxinan government plan to cooperate in improving the lives of Chinese women in remote mountainous regions. [Photo/ldqxn.com]

"People understand how beautiful Chinese art is, and how wonderful the history is, and how it is the right time to bring the UK and China closer together," said Judge. 

Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to Britain said the fashion show offered a great opportunity for Chinese seamstresses to step out of the remote mountains where they live and share their stories. 

Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to England, speaks at the cultural fashion show held at the Chinese embassy in London on Sept 11. [Photo/ldqxn.com]

"Guizhou is a relatively poor province in China," he said. "But this special skill can not only save our traditional crafts, but alleviate poverty. It's a win-win situation." 

He added that the fashion show is a creative way to help the people in remote areas shake off poverty and improve their lives. In 2016, Qianxinan witnessed more than 100,000 people rise above the poverty line, with three towns and 132 villages getting rid of the reputation of poverty-stricken areas.