Designer Ruwei Yu’s collection Miao’s Inheritance aims to solve the problems of the modern day woman, while taking inspiration from and paying homage to China’s ethnic minority cultures and traditions. Miao’s Inheritance has been developed in partnership with the British lifestyle and activewear brand No Two Ways, and takes into consideration the brand's audience and ethos while continuing Yu’s unique style of innovative design and cultural appreciation.
The collection takes both its name and design inspiration from the Changjiao Miao people of Guizhou, China, also known as the Long-Horn Miao. As their alternative name suggests the women from this culture are distinctive for their cultural celebratory headdresses which resemble the upturned horns of a bull. These headdresses are woven from the hair of the wearer, combined with masses of black wool and woven through with locks of their female ancestors' hair. They are then finally bound all together with white wrappings.
The collection is made up of two bags, whose form and function are directly inspired by these headdresses, re-interpreted for the modern active woman. The Shoulder Covering with Bag mirrors the curved shape of the headdresses, and responds to the movements of the wearer, while the Functional Vest consists of many straps and elastic chords which replicate the white wrappings which hold the headdresses together.
In Yu’s interpretation, these headdresses become particularly relevant to ideas of female empowerment, centering female legacy through the integration of ancestral hair and an enduring connection to generations of women. These ideas are particularly relevant to both Yu and No Two Ways as both champion the modern woman's individuality and independence through functional design and sport.
Beyond form, there is also a literal translation of ‘carrying’ happening within Yu’s designs. The headdresses themselves can weigh a substantial amount, but the metaphorical weight of female legacy and cultural identity may be even heavier. While the Long-Horn Miao Women carry the cultural memory and history of their female relatives within the hair pieces, the modern accessories are functional pieces of storage which allow personal freedom of movement. Additionally the familial supportive network symbolised within the hair pieces becomes individual bodily support in the form of her designs, particularly in the Functional Vest whose form directly supports the wearer's torso.
Yu has also used the visual traditions of the Changjiao Miao people in her adaptation of the No Two Ways logo for these pieces (seen on the straps), transforming it from modern and graphic to something more soft, inspired by the organic geometric motifs typically worn by the Miao people.
The most impactful part of this collection is the way in which Yu uses traditional practices as inspiration for ways to solve contemporary problems. Her own Chinese heritage allows for a distinct personal appreciation of China’s diverse cultural traditions that have yet to enter the global market. Combined with her designer's instincts, these qualities create functional designs for the modern woman. Her designs do not create a gimmick out of the Long-Horn Miao Women or use their headdresses simply as decoration or accessories, but weave their form, function and cultural significance into her designs to bring these traditional cultural practices to new audiences and place them within a new contemporary context. Rather than simply attempting to introduce new audiences to the practices of minority cultures, she begins the introduction through utility and inspiration, allowing the door to appreciation and further research to open.
