Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Wei Yonggui, Correspondent Zhang Chao) news: "This time when I visited Guizhou, the Hami embroidery works I brought attracted people’s attention. The samples were all taken away by the enthusiastic audience," said Renagul Supi on June 30 in the studio of Hami Traditional Craft Workstation. While explaining the stitches and patterns to several embroidery women, she shared her experiences from the exhibition and exchange event in Guizhou that took place in May.

Photo taken On May 8, 2024 shows Renagul Supi (first from right) participates in a livestreaming activity. The second National Rural Revitalization Vocational Skills Competition and the first Rural Craftsman Skills Exhibition and Exchange Activity, hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, was held in Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, China. (Photo provided by Renagul Supi)

Renagul is a renowned embroiderer from Hami City, aged 41. She was honored as the "Master of Xinjiang Arts and Crafts" in 2013, and her embroidery works have received awards in numerous arts and crafts competitions across Xinjiang and the country. In 2016, she earned the distinction of being the youngest Hami embroidery master in Hami City.

In April, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, along with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and five other ministries and commissions, announced the first group of national rural artisans masters, and Renagul was successfully selected. On May 8, 2024, sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and other departments, the second National Rural Revitalization Vocational Skills Competition and the first Rural Craftsman Skills Exhibition and Exchange Activity was held in Guiyang City of Guizhou Province. Renagul was invited to participate in the show, showcasing her Hami Uygur embroidery works to a national audience through livestreaming, demonstrating the charm of Hami Uygur embroidery.

“In 2016, I had the opportunity to showcase my embroidery works at Paris Fashion Week. Since then, I've participated in Shanghai Fashion Week, the national intangible cultural heritage exhibition, arts and crafts competitions, and more. Being able to travel out of the countryside, and out of Xinjiang, to the entire country and even abroad, is something I never would have imagined before," said Renagul, expressing her excitement about her experiences over the years.

Train over thousand embroidery women to help them increase their income

Renagul is from Wupu Town, Hami Prefecture. Wupu Town is known for its Hami Uygur embroidery craft. Renagul's mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother are all renowned local embroidery artisans.

Renagul started learning painting, paper-cutting, and embroidery with her mother at the age of six. She showcased her artistic talent in school, with her paintings being exhibited on campus several times. After school, Renagul would embroider her favorite patterns using cloth and silk thread in her bedroom.

Later, her embroidery gained popularity in the local market and was loved by villagers from surrounding areas. Many villagers placed orders, which was a great encouragement to Renagul.

“The government started to pay more and more attention to the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage such as embroidery and paper-cutting at that time. Free training courses are organized in Wupu Town, and Hami City every year. I learned from the teacher and communicated with other embroidery women in the training class, which broadened my horizons and improved my skills,” siad Renagul, in 2005, with the support of the Cultural Museum in Yizhou District and the government of Wupu Town, I joined the local embroidery association in Hami and the Arts and Crafts Association of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Since then, I have participated in many competitions in Hami City and other places in Xinjiang, and won many awards for my exquisite embroidery skills. I became the municipal-level inheritor of Hami Uygur embroidery.

In 2013, Renagul established a professional embroidery cooperative in Wupu Town to lead local women to do business together.

"Wherever I go, I will never forget that I am from Hami, and I can't forget to give back to my hometown," Renagul said. She has received many apprentices whom she teaches skills in a hands-on, personal manner. Currently, over 1,000 embroidery women trained by her are able to increase their income through their own efforts.

Hami embroidery takes center stage at Paris Fashion Week

Renagul, a skilled embroiderer from Hami, became the first of her kind to showcase her craft at Paris Fashion Week. “The Ministry of Culture and Tourism provided me with the opportunity to gain international exposure.” Renagul expressed her gratitude earnestly whenever discussing her experience.

Hami Uygur embroidery was included in the second representative list of State-level intangible cultural heritage items in June 2008. Thanks to the support and the protection, intangible cultural inheritors like Renagul, now have access to better working conditions and a more stable income.

In March 2016, Hami City established a traditional craft workstation, which attracted numerous talented embroiderers. The former leaders of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, along with experts in cultural heritage preservation, visited Xinjiang to conduct research. The research team in Hami placed great importance on preserving and passing down the Hami embroidery. As part of this effort, Yachang Culture Group Co., Ltd. was tasked with leading three renowned design teams representing the modern fashion industry. These teams included the "Mifan" team of Chinese-style designers, the "Guanmu" team of original fashion brands, and the Shanghai Qinxu team of famous fashion designers, all of whom were enlisted to promote Hami embroidery as part of the modern cultural industry. Simultaneously, the Institute of Fine Arts and Design of Guangzhou University, Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, Xinjiang Normal University, and Suzhou Art and Design Technology Institute collaborated to conduct theoretical and academic research on Hami embroidery. They also provided training for local embroiderers in Hami.

Photo taken On May 8, 2024 shows Renagul Supi participates in the second National Rural Revitalization Vocational Skills Competition and the first Rural Craftsmans Skills Exhibition and Exchange Activity, hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which was held in Guiyang City, Guizhou Province. (Photo provided by Renagul Supi)

The renowned designer Qin Xu was so impressed by Renagul's embroidery work that he hired her as the team's contracted designer. This year, Qin Xu incorporated Renagul’s embroidery into his fashion designs, creating a series of outfits. These designs garnered significant attention at both Paris Fashion Week and Shanghai Fashion Week, receiving high praise from international and domestic fashion communities. Notably, a dress featuring Renagul’s embroidery was sold for 270,000 yuan (about 37,662 U.S. dollars) at Paris Fashion Week.

Continuous improvement in exchanges and cooperation

Renagul has been collaborating with several renowned domestic fashion design companies since 2016, such as Shanghai Qinxu Clothing Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Pante Clothing Co., Ltd., and Shenzhen Rongzhen Zhimei Fashion Technology Co., Ltd. Together, they have produced over 400 works and have showcased Hami Uygur embroidery at Shanghai Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week on five different occasions. These efforts have helped to showcase the beauty of Hami Uygur embroidery to a global audience, turning Renagul's works into a symbol of excellence in this craft.

Renagul's journey from the countryside to Shanghai and Paris is a well-known and inspiring tale, particularly among Hami embroidery women. However, she remains focused on her work and has little time to dwell on her own accomplishments due to the demanding nature of her responsibilities.

"The tradition of Hami embroidery began when the first generation of Hami Hui king invited embroiderers from Beijing to practice Suzhou and Beijing embroidery. Today, our embroidery patterns also incorporate many flowers from southern parts of China and cultural symbols from the Central Plains of China,” Renagul said, she is planning to collaborate with Shanghai Qinxu Clothing Co., Ltd., a feature film to promote the culture of Hami Uygur embroidery, aiming to increase awareness and understanding of Hami and Hami Uygur embroidery. Additionally, there are plans to create new works and participate in Paris Fashion Week once again. "After attending Shanghai Fashion Week in March, I have gained valuable insights that I hope to incorporate into my new works."

Renagul believes that her experience at Shanghai and Paris Fashion Weeks in recent years has strengthened her understanding of the importance of openness and communication. While she has trained many embroiderers in the past, not many have had the opportunity to leave Hami and Xinjiang. She expressed, "Craftsmanship cannot simply be taught; it requires continuous improvement through exchange and collaboration. I want to empower more embroidery women to explore the world. Everyone should be able to showcase their skills and let traditional embroidery shine on a broader platform."

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