Models wear the dress featuring paper-cutting patterns at the New York Fashion Week · Asia-Pacific Wuxi Show. [Photo provided to gowuxi.com]

Intangible cultural heritage from China captivated audiences at the New York Fashion Week · Asia-Pacific Wuxi Show, which took place in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, from March 19 to 22.

Gu Axin, a Chinese fashion brand, brought the rich heritage of the Miao ethnic group to the runway, while the Erma wedding dress breathed new life into the traditions of the Qiang ethnic group. Similarly, Wuxi's paper-cutting art made a breathtaking debut at this international event.

Models wear Erma wedding dresses at the New York Fashion Week · Asia-Pacific Wuxi Show. [Photo provided to gowuxi.com]

Chen Jingyi, a distinguished practitioner of Wuxi's intangible cultural heritage, presented a unique Paper Art Fashion Show at the event.

Chen explained that she dedicated over half a month to preparing for this show. She selected Wuxi's most beautiful spring flowers as her theme, including magnolias, plum blossoms and the lotus flowers of Nianhuawan Bay, transforming them into intricate paper-cut patterns that bloomed from bud to full blossom on the skirts.

This isn't her first time reinventing paper-cutting. Three years ago, at the opening ceremony of the fifth Huishan District Sports Games, she crafted a wedding dress from paper-cutting that amazed the audience. That experience made her realize that paper-cutting could transcend its traditional role and become a central design element in fashion.

"I hope Chinese paper-cutting can shed its 'supporting role' status and become a core design element in international fashion," she said. In her view, the boundaries of intangible cultural heritage are continually expanding, and the integration of paper-cutting elements enhances the aesthetic appeal of clothing.