| Chen Juanhong, the first Chinese to win the title of the "Global Super Model", is considered a fashion icon in China. Earlier this year, she was selected as the "Pride of China -- Figure of the Year 2009." 
Photo shows super model Chen Juanhong with Tibetan children. Talking about Tibet, Chen Juanhong could hardly restrain herself from excitement and rejoice. She loved everything in this plateau, from a small Tibetan silver bracelet to the Potala Palace and Lake Namco. Tibet's charm and beauty are beyond all praise. Colorful "Hada" greeting guests On entering the lobby in Chen's home, everyone will be attracted by a picturesque screen, with 100-odd pieces of brightly colored Hada (a silk scarf symbolizing good luck in Tibetan language) hung on both sides and forming a big knot in the middle. This is her favorite work. When shopping in the Barkhor Street of Tibet's capital of Lhasa several years ago, Chen found these pieces of colorful Hada, usually white, in a local shop. "They are so beautiful. I don't think a common dye house has such superb staining skills." She used the word "genuine" to describe the purity of the color. "Each piece cost only 0.3 or 0.4 yuan then. I just spent less than 50 yuan buying them all. Except those used in the fashion design, the rest have been displayed at her home to express the host's best regards to all the visitors. Setting up T-stage at the Potala Palace Square In 2002, Chen went to Tibet for the first time, with some other 300 candidates from all parts of China participating in "the Global Elite Model Look" contest, China Division. Before this, no one had thought that the ancient holy city of Lhasa could be linked with the vogue model competition, let alone a fashion show held in a city at an altitude of 3,000 m above sea level. Altitude sickness, coldness...How would the people see this fashion feast? Even the judges of the contest final were surprised: "That's really crazy!" 
Chen Juanhong, the first Chinese to win the title of the "Global Super Model." But in Chen's eyes, "Lhasa is the best place to hold this event." She has still kept fresh in her mind the scene at that dusk. Against the flame-red evening sky, models dressed in traditional Tibetan costumes, graceful and elegant, slowly walked on the globally highest stage, approaching the ringside audience step by step. At that moment, many Tibetan viewers were moved to tears by the perfect integration between the Tibetan ethnic culture and fashion enchantment. "Wonderful!" most people could not help thumbing up to this event. Be a star in Tibetan costume In April 2009, a show titled "Be a star" based on Tibetan elements was launched in Beijing. Chen said that she quite understood the stars' difficulty -- how to dress to display their splendor and feel comfortable, too. 
Photo shows Chinese stars dressed in Tibetan traditional costumes on T-stage. Accidentally, the traditional Tibetan costume gave this lady inspiration. She altered the style of Pulu (Tibetan woolen cloth)-made gown by cutting sleeves so as to show the outline of women's shoulders and arms. With the ornaments made of turquoise (a green gem commonly used in Tibetan accessories) and beads, her newly designed Tibetan costume looked stylish and practical as well. In the daily life, Chen is fond of collecting Tibetan-style apparels, which she considers very useful on many occasions. "For example, office ladies often wear skirts in the daytime. But with a Tibetan fur shawl, they can attend any party at night. In summer, a girl with a wide bracelet around her wrist may become eye-catching among the crowd." |
