Traditional Chinese cultural elements and aesthetics have been subtly woven into the ceremonial dresses and officials' attire being worn at the ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, reflecting the city's unique features while extending best wishes to participants through Shanghai-style designs.

Shanghai's Donghua University led the design efforts, with three faculty members and eight students from the university's College of Fashion and Design working on the project since July. Together with production partners, they submitted more than 20 designs for approval and produced over 1,900 sets of attire for technical and Olympic Council of Asia officials, as well as 116 ceremonial dresses and thousands of accessories, including silk scarves and neckties.

"We came up with about 40 designs in total, and 20 were ultimately approved," said Ni Jun, a professor at Donghua University and one of the leaders of the design team. "The Asian Winter Games is not just a sports gala, but is also a cultural gathering. We wanted to showcase traditional Chinese culture in our designs, which integrate Shanghai-style elements and craftsmanship."

Among the designs, the blue ceremonial attire stands out. Inspired by the wintry conditions of Harbin, known as China's "ice city", the dress combines traditional Chinese cultural aesthetics with modern tailoring techniques.

The design team said the blue color symbolizes purity, nobility, trust and reliability, representing the sky, sea and glaciers, as well as enduring friendship and faith, aligning with the spirit of sports.

Ni noted that the wavy hair ornaments draw inspiration from Chinese scrolls, while the hairpins are based on ancient Chinese designs, and present a dynamic effect when in motion. The skirts flow smoothly with each step, while the upper parts of the dresses are an updated version of the qipao, featuring a Shanghai-style waistband with cloud patterns and handmade, snowflake-shaped Chinese knot buttons.

Beyond the design, production posed challenges. The attire worn by officials is made from high-quality wool fabric, which provides warmth, comfort and breathability. However, the fabric is extremely light and soft, making design, shaping and production difficult. The clothing also needed to be inclusive enough to accommodate the varying body sizes of roughly 1,900 wearers.

"We received strong support from factories across the country that collaborated with our university. They are equipped with advanced technologies and, as we requested, follow a sustainable and environmentally friendly production process. Producing a single set of the officials' attire involves an average of 396 steps. Without their expertise and flexibility for urgent adjustments, we couldn't have completed the task," Ni said.

Leading a team of 20, Ni is now overseeing the use of the clothing on-site in Harbin.

"So far, things are going well, with few requests for adjustments. But we're not overthinking it. I feel deeply moved to see our team so united and focused on getting the job done. It is a great honor for us and Donghua University to be part of this sports gala," she said with a smile.