China chic dominates graduation ceremonies
Graduating students' awareness of expressing cultural pride by wearing traditional costumes seen rising
As decoration for the shoulders, yunjian has long been suitable to wear with such a gown. In addition, oilpaper umbrellas and fans are becoming sought-after accessories that students can match with their gowns.
Double Seventh, an online store that sells hanfu on e-commerce platform Taobao, has accumulatively sold more than 3,000 pieces of yunjian after the store launched the product in August 2023. On the day of its launch, the store sold more than 1,000 pieces. Their yunjian carry a price tag of less than 100 yuan ($13.8) each.
The company also designed different colors of double-layered yunjian for different majors at Zhejiang University. For instance, it designed pink yunjian for liberal arts graduates, gray for science graduates and yellow for graduates in engineering majors.
In addition, the store launched a style of academic cap that is decorated with flowers. Sales in May surged more than 200 percent over April, it said.
Young Chinese consumers have demonstrated a growing demand for traditional Chinese attire this year, which is the Year of the Dragon.
In Chinese traditional astrology, which outlines the qualities of 12 zodiac signs, the Year of the Dragon is usually of great significance. The dragon symbolizes strength, wisdom and good fortune for Chinese people. This has spurred the popularity of such traditional Chinese elements.
During the Spring Festival holiday in February, various traditional Chinese-style outfits containing dragons and phoenixes became a hit among young consumers. The popularity of traditional Chinese outfits has continued for spring outings, weddings and graduation ceremonies.
"Young people's love for traditional culture is constantly growing. Traditional Chinese-style outfits have become a major choice for young graduates this year when they attend graduation ceremonies," said Hao Danyang, operational director of hanfu business at Taobao.
"An increasing number of female college students are interested in traditional Chinese culture and would like to demonstrate it through their outfits, indicating national identity and cultural confidence," Hao said.
