Hmong Silver Isiketi Yelifa by Zehui Ni is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 Ibhaso Lesilivere le-A' Design Award in Uyilo lweKhostiyumu kunye neSinxibo seLifo Competition Category.

IsilivereUyilo lweKhostiyumu· 2024

Hmong Silver Isiketi Yelifa

by Zehui Ni

Client: Jing Que

Ibhaso Lesilivere le-A' Design Award Winner in Uyilo lweKhostiyumu Category

86,974

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #159597

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Hmong Silver Isiketi Yelifa

Ethandwa kakhulu kwiminyaka ye-Qing ne-Ming, iziketi zelifa zeMamian zithandwa ngenxa yophawu lwazo lwamandla nokomelela. Iindlela ezimbini ezintle kakhulu kwimbali yaseMpuma: ukufakwa kwepele yonina kunye nobugcisa besilivere seHmong zisiseko solu yilo. Ukuba nesiketi yelifa yeMamian kufana nokuba nesiqwenga semfihlakalo yaseMpuma. Kungumbhiyozo weemangaliso zendalo, ubukrelekrele bomntu, nokulandelwa kobuhle obungenaxesha obodlula amaxesha neenkcubeko.

The Recognition

About the Ibhaso Lesilivere le-A' Design Award

Hmong Silver Isiketi Yelifa ngumphumeleli weIbhaso Lesilivere le-A' Design Award, ukuqatshelwa okuhlonitshwayo ngokungaqhelekanga okunikwa imiyilo yomgangatho ophezulu, entle nechukumisayo. Abaphumeleleyo beSilivere ziimveliso ezikhazimlayo kakhulu nezidala kakhulu ezibonisa ubungcali obuphawulekayo, italente nobukrelekrele babayili bazo. Hmong Silver Isiketi Yelifa iyathenjwa ukuba ibe ngumsebenzi omhle womzekelo, onobungcali obuphawulekayo nezinto ezintsha ezinzulu. Lo myilo uphumeleleyo weIbhaso Lesilivere le-A' Design Award yimveliso ebonakalayo kakhulu, ethandwayo enceda kwaye inyusa imida yobugcisa, inzululwazi, uyilo kunye nobuchwephesha. Hmong Silver Isiketi Yelifa yimveliso enomona omkhulu kuyo evusa iinqwenelo, izisa iimvakalelo ezintle kwaye ivuselela ukumangaliswa nokumangala.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Popular in the Qing and Ming Dynasties, the Horse-Faced Mamian skirts are beloved for their symbolism. The stallion has long symbolized power, strength, and virility. Wearing a horse-faced skirt was a revering statement for sophistication and wealth.

The Mamian skirts were worn by Empress Dowager Cixi in the Qing Dynasty and Princess Diana. Today, they are worn as a day to day garment in Asia and a symbol of cultural pride.
Dimensions & Packaging: Length: 103 cm
Width: 45 cm
Depth: 5 cm
Tags: Hmong Silver/ Oriental / Pearl Inlay / Mamian Skirt / Horse-faced Skirts
Production Technology: This project is utilized through fabric and woven methods to resemble the pearl inlay technique using Hmong silver designs.
Design Challenge: There are myriad of stories hidden within its lustrous folds, these silver artifacts are passed down from generation to generation, linking the old with the new, the past with the future. Each intricate pattern is inspired by nature and the cosmos, a delicate dance of the earth and stars, intertwined with tales of love, resilience, and triumph.

In its gleam, we honor the hands and hearts that have breathed life into this ageless tradition through the design. Finding a reflection of humanity's eternal quest for meaning, connection, and beauty.
Research: Two exquisite techniques are used as inspiration for this design, pearl inlay and Hmong silver.

Pearl Inlay is traditionally a furniture technique made from the iridescent inner lining of pearl oysters and abalone, this meticulous technique is both a testament to artisanal skill and nature’s splendor.

The artistry of the Hmong silver knows no boundaries of time. Forged by the hands of skilled Hmong artisans, the Hmong silver work is a distinctive expression of intricate stories, myths, and aspirations, that speak of the Hmong connection to the land, ancestors, and future generations.
Inspiration: A brilliant dance between two exquisite techniques in oriental history : mother of pearl inlays and Hmong silver craft serves as the foundation for this design.

Imagine the very essence of the sea - the allure of its depths, the mysteries of its shimmering inhabitants - captured and rendered into tangible, breathtaking pieces for everyday wear.
Project Duration: 12 Months, Changsha, China
Operation Flow: The Hmong Silver Heritage Skirt is designed for modern wear, from casual to ceremonial. The intricate pearl inlay and silver craft details invite closer inspection and conversation, transforms into a canvas of cultural storytelling, weaving together the past and present in its elegant folds.
Image Credits: Yuxi Li
Zehui Ni