Born into an ethnic Miao family in rural Guizhou Province, Zhang was exposed from a young age to the rich tradition of Miao embroidery (刺绣)一 cultural craft that has been passed down through generations. She spent countless hours as a child (observe) her mother and grandmother stitching fancy patterns onto fabrics by hand. In 2003, hoping to modermize and share this heritage, she opened her first clothing shop in the provincial capital.
A decade, later, Zhang (establish) her own clothing brand fooused on combining traditional Chinese-style qipao dresses with colorful customized embroidery patterns. "We have trained hundreds of local Miao women in the ancient needlework techniques," Zhang (proud) remarked. "The clothing line celebrates the breathtaking handiwork, I hope advances my home village's revitalization."
Her (commit) to cultural preservation and rural development was recognized in 2019, when the China W omen's Handicraft Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (hold) and Zhang's innovative design collection won top honors. I an interview afterwards, she reflected on both preserving traditional skills through new media, expanding economic opportunities for artisans. "We attach equal importance cultural inheritance and market expansion," Zhang stated. "In the future, we'll continue innovating designs (display) Miao embroidery's beauty and diversity.
