From October 30 to November 1, the 2026 “Runhua Cup” held in conjunction with an exhibition showcasing the institution’s 35-year history, took place at Jiangxi Fashion Institute. This year’s event marked a dual milestone: the 35th anniversary of the institute’s founding and the 30th edition of the “Runhua Cup.” The week featured two competitions, two forums, and three exhibitions, drawing participants from 16 countries.
Notably, original collections created by the institute’s faculty and students have previously been showcased at fashion weeks in Milan and Paris. Representatives from provincial and municipal government departments, textile and apparel industry associations, domestic and international universities, corporate partners, alumni, and the media gathered by the institute’s Zhuihe Pond. Through the medium of fashion and the spirit of aesthetic education, they witnessed a grand cultural celebration that integrated heritage preservation, creative competition, and dialogue between industry and academia.
As night fell, the atmosphere at the Lotus-Adorned Pond (Zhuihe Chi) became truly enchanting. The opening ceremony commenced with a warm-up film retracing the 35-year journey of fashion education at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. The event featured a spectacular light show, a series of conceptual short films, and a performance by a symphony orchestra. Centered on the philosophy of “nurturing through aesthetics and culture,” the event leveraged the university’s specialized expertise in fashion to delve deep into the beauty of traditional Chinese attire. It encouraged young designers to root their work in local culture and build cultural confidence, empowering them to become creators and ambassadors within the contemporary fashion landscape.
In her address, Tu Yanping, Chair of the Board of Jiangxi Fashion Institute, noted that over the past 35 years, the institution has achieved a remarkable leap – evolving from a single classroom into an entity that engages the entire fashion industry value chain. The institute has steadfastly adhered to a non-profit educational model, reinvesting all proceeds back into the cultivation of talent. Today, the 30th “Runhua Cup” has established a platform for fashion dialogue reaching across the “Belt and Road” regions, while original collections created by the institute’s faculty and students have been featured on the official calendar of Milan Fashion Week – effectively breaking down the barriers between the academic classroom and the international fashion stage.
At the critical stage of the “15th Five-Year Plan” and the critical stage of applying for master’s degrees, the school will continue to promote the symbiosis of industry and education, embrace the wave of digital fashion, and further expand the advantages of international education.
Francesco Fiordelli, representative of the Italian Federation of Fashion Industry in China, and Xia Lingmin, secretary-general of the China National Textile and Apparel Federation, delivered speeches successively. They highly recognized Jiangfu’s Sino-Italian fashion exchange results and talent export capabilities, and looked forward to continued linkage to inject more young vitality into the domestic textile industry.
Distinguished guests on-site jointly performed the opening ceremony, which also saw the formalization of partnerships across government, industry, academia, and research sectors. This initiative aims to elevate university – enterprise collaboration, effectively bridging the gap between talent development and industrial innovation. A thematic performance titled “A Grand Tapestry of Vision” (Jingwei Huazhang) used stage storytelling to recount the 35-year journey of the Jiangxi Fashion Institute.
As the performance concluded, the audience honored the institute’s founder, Mr. Tu Runhua, with flowers – a tribute to the seeds of fashion education he sowed decades ago. This was followed by the highly anticipated showcase of the “CHEN.1988” fashion collection, which draws upon the core of Eastern aesthetics; by reinterpreting traditional elements through a contemporary, youthful fashion lexicon, the collection brilliantly demonstrated the creative ingenuity and original design prowess of JIFT students. The opening ceremony reached its perfect conclusion, accompanied by live music with a symphony orchestra.
On the evening of October 31, a highlight of the Art Week – the finals of the 30th “Runhua Cup” Belt and Road University Student Fashion Design and Skills Competition – unfolded in spectacular fashion. Initiated by the institution’s founder, Tu Runhua, the “Runhua Cup” has evolved over three decades. It has long transcended the scope of a mere campus competition, becoming an international platform for young fashion talent along the “Belt and Road” and embodying an educational philosophy of “fostering teaching and learning through competition.” Centered on the theme “Art/Craft” (Shù/术), this year’s edition drew 1,052 creative entries from 16 countries. Following multiple rounds of rigorous selection, 28 avant-garde ready-to-wear collections emerged to take the stage on the grand runway set up over the campus pond.
On the evening of October 31, a highlight of the Art Week – the finals of the 30th “Runhua Cup” Belt and Road University Student Fashion Design and Skills Competition – unfolded in spectacular fashion. Initiated by the institution’s founder, Tu Runhua, the “Runhua Cup” has evolved over three decades. It has long transcended the scope of a mere campus competition, becoming an international platform for young fashion talent along the “Belt and Road” and embodying an educational philosophy of “fostering teaching and learning through competition.” Centered on the theme “Art/Craft” (Shù/术), this year’s edition drew 1,052 creative entries from 16 countries. Following multiple rounds of rigorous selection, 28 avant-garde ready-to-wear collections emerged to take the stage on the grand runway set up over the campus pond.
This competition features a prestigious jury panel composed of academic experts and leaders from top apparel enterprises. Entries are evaluated across multiple dimensions, including original creative expression, technical execution, cultural storytelling, and innovative vision. The final round is more than just a visual runway show; it serves as a rigorous, hands-on challenge. Over the course of three days, finalists must navigate a series of demanding tasks – ranging from design briefs and draping to garment construction and a formal defense of their work – transforming conceptual ideas into tangible, wearable fashion. Furthermore, the competition incorporates a digital fashion segment, highlighted by an “AI-Powered Showcase of Top Emerging Designers,” which explores the potential of AI-generated technology in fashion design, fostering a synergy between digital innovation and human-centric design.
On the runway, works by young designers from various countries were showcased in succession. Ranging from expressions rooted in Eastern cultural imagery to bold interpretations of exotic trends, these pieces pushed boundaries through experimental fabric use, deconstructive tailoring, and intricate detailing – fully demonstrating the imagination and technical craftsmanship of Gen Z designers.
Following a multi-stage weighted evaluation, “Shadows Woven in the Heat” (潮热织影) by Hua Yiping from Jiangxi Fashion Institute claimed the top prize. Chen Gan’s “VAPOROUS BIDY” and Lu Wenqiang’s “Rock Traces” (岩迹) – the latter representing Tsinghua University – secured the runner-up positions. Sun Mengdi, Lai Yijie, and Zhang Ting were among those awarded third place, with students from various institutions both in China and abroad also receiving honors.
On the evening of November 1, the grand finale of the 30th “Runhua Cup” Modeling Contest kicked off in spectacular fashion. The event attracted 289 enthusiastic participants; following multiple rounds of selection, 60 contestants- comprising 30 men and 30 women – advanced to the outdoor stage for the final competition. The panel of judges, featuring professors of fashion performance from several prestigious universities alongside top-tier professional models, ensured the contest’s high level of professionalism, authority, and fairness.
The competition featured three distinct segments: swimwear, casual wear, and evening wear. During the swimwear segment, contestants showcased their poised, upright postures and brisk, confident strides, embodying the vibrant, healthy spirit of today’s youth. For the casual and evening wear segments, the organizers featured original designs from brands founded by the institution’s own alumni—bringing the fruits of their entrepreneurial endeavors to the runway and vividly illustrating the school’s commitment to integrating industry with education and fostering a legacy of mentorship. With steady, assured steps and a dynamic stage presence, the contestants expertly captured the core style of each outfit, delivering a stunning visual spectacle for both the live audience and those watching via the online broadcast.
After several rounds of intense competition, the awards for the contest were announced: Zhao Yitong and Peng Liangyu took home the first-place prizes in the female and male model categories, respectively. Second and third-place awards were also presented, alongside various other honors, including the “Top Ten Models,” “Outstanding Models,” and “Outstanding Instructors.”
As the awards ceremony drew to a close, a special video – centered on a Guinness World Record-setting, extra-long scroll featuring qipao (cheongsam) designs – was unveiled. The video delves into the cultural essence of this traditional Chinese attire, serving as a heartfelt, culturally rich tribute to the school’s 35th anniversary. Over the course of three decades, the “Runhua Cup” Modeling Competition has steadfastly adhered to the philosophy of “fostering teaching, learning, reform, and development through competition.” It serves not only as a stage for aspiring models to realize their dreams but also as a showcase for the academic and practical achievements of the school’s fashion performance program.
This edition of the Fashion & Art Week features a diverse array of programming. Beyond its core fashion competitions, the event includes a forum for young scholars, a forum for entrepreneurs, a “Maker” trading day, and various artistic performances. Bringing together academic experts and industry entrepreneurs, these sessions foster in-depth dialogue on topics such as the cultivation of fashion talent, the digital transformation of the fashion sector, and innovation-driven development within the apparel industry.
A series of themed exhibitions—including “Paying Tribute to Runhua: An Exhibition Marking the 35th Anniversary of the Institution and the 30th ‘Runhua Cup’ Achievements,” “Harmony Under the Same Heavens: A Reconstruction of Attire Depicted in the Murals of Princess Zhenxiao’s Tomb (Bohai Kingdom, Tang Dynasty),” and “Homes in the Peach Blossom Spring: An Exhibition of Porcelain Paintings by Wu Rengan”—have opened simultaneously to students, faculty, and the general public. Furthermore, the Political Education Exhibition Hall, the University History Museum, and the Costume Museum have also opened their doors, allowing visitors to engage closely with the rich heritage of attire and showcasing the institution’s academic strength and creative prowess in the realm of fashion through a diverse, multi-dimensional lens.
This Fashion Art Week serves as an innovative initiative by Jiangxi Fashion Institute to fulfill its fundamental mission of fostering virtue through education. The institution encourages students to delve into traditional clothing culture, enabling them to both understand heritage and creatively reinterpret “Chinese-style” (Guofeng) through their design work. As the institute embarks on a new phase – focused on the critical goal of qualifying for a master’s degree-granting program – it remains committed to discovering emerging design talent. By promoting the contemporary translation of traditional Chinese attire, the institute aims to produce original works that possess both deep cultural roots and significant market potential, while preparing a new generation of fashion professionals equipped with a refined aesthetic sense, technical proficiency, and a broad, forward-looking vision for the textile and apparel industry.
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