HAIKOU /China/, April 26. /TASS/. Hainan province has organized a fashion show in Milan in the style of the Li people, an indigenous ethnic group that has lived on the island for over 3,000 years. This was reported by the Hainan Daily newspaper.

The event took place during Milan Design Week and was dedicated to the culture of this ethnic minority. In addition to clothing, the southernmost region of China presented musical instruments and folk songwriting.

The combination of traditional and modern motifs in the clothes Hainan showed on the catwalk allowed to submerge European viewers into the atmosphere of the distinctive spirit of the Li people, the newspaper noted. Chinese art historian Liu Xianlan, considered China's leading expert on the handmade fabrics of this ethnic group, was present at the opening of the shows.

"I am very happy to observe the cooperation and collaboration related to the Li people's culture and global fashion," she stressed. According to the expert, who regularly travels abroad to acquaint the world community with the art of the Li people, the event allowed "the ancient brocade fabric appeared in its boundless charm."

Businessmen and representatives of European companies, engaged in promoting fashion brands, got acquainted with the traditional clothes demonstrated in Italy. China's southern province and Milan plan to continue strengthening contacts in this direction, the paper noted.

The Li people are considered to be the most ancient ethnic group in Hainan. This minority has preserved many customs and traditions dating back to the Neolithic era. They speak a language belonging to the Tai Kadai family, which includes Thai and Laotian. Most of them live in the central part of the province where there are dense tropical forests.