Culture Express has taken you to all the major fashion weeks around the world with international super models strutting on the catwalk. But this time, we will take you to Yongren (永仁) County of Chuxiong (楚雄) Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Southwest China’s Yunnan Province. There we can enjoy a fashion show of the Yi ethnic group’s traditional costumes.

The 4th Yunnan Ethnic Costume Cultural Festival, which includes the Yi Costume Competition, kicked off with a brilliant performance. Singers and dancers of the Yi ethnic group presented the audience with a selection of their traditional songs and dances.

And after that came the highlight of the festival, the costume competition. Girls of the Yi ethnic group walk on the stage, showing their beautiful traditional costumes. Each piece of clothing is designed and made by the model, and the one who makes the most beautiful clothes wins a prize.

A competitor said, "Yes, I designed and made these clothes. It took more than a year to make them."

With unique embroidery and decorations, these traditional Yi costumes really impressed tourists from other places around the country.

A tourist said, "I’m very interested in the Yi people’s culture. Their costumes are amazingly beautiful."

The annual traditional Yi costume competition has enjoyed a history of 1347 years. It is called the oldest catwalk in the world. Yi people from Guizhou, Sichuan Provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region also come to take part in the competition and the festival.