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Sept. 8, 2026, 11 p.m. /    0 Comments

Young designer reimagines ancestral embroidery, bringing new appeal while creating opportunities

The traditional hand-embroidered tiger motif found on children's clothing among the Miao people of the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture is usually fierce and imposing. Passed down through generations, the design is believed to ward off evil and protect the child who wears it.

But Li Wen, a 23-year-old designer from the region, decided to give the centuries-old motif a fresh look.

Last year, she created a hat featuring a much friendlier tiger face: the tiger playfully sticks out its tongue, revealing its six pearl-strung teeth, while floral patterns sit beneath its wide, expressive eyes.

On May 14, this hat was seen inside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, worn by the 6-year-old son of Elon Musk. Within hours, videos of the boy in the traditional Chinese outfit spread rapidly across social media, drawing attention from around the world.

The hat had been purchased from the Remote Mountain Bazaar, a Beijing-based platform that helps traditional artisans in remote regions bring their handicrafts to market.