Models present traditional attire recreated using artificial intelligence at a fashion show in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, on the evening of Dec. A fashion show featuring traditional attire recreated using artificial intelligence captivated audiences in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, on the evening of December 18, 2025. Fourteen sets of traditional Chinese garments were presented on stage.
The garments were made possible by Xi’an Polytechnic University’s cutting-edge digital restoration technology, which is powered by a large 3D database of traditional Chinese clothing. An artistic recreation of Tang Dynasty (618-907) court dance costumes. Image:Hanfu Research Institute at Xi’an Polytechnic University The database, developed under the leadership of Liu Kaixuan, vice dean of the School of Apparel and Art Design at Xi’an Polytechnic University, was built with the support of AI technologies.
It contains more than 50,000 3D garment models spanning the pre-Qin period (before 221 B.C.) through the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). The reconstructions draw on a wide range of archaeological and historical sources, including excavated textiles, surviving garments, scroll paintings, murals, ceramic figurines, and pictorial bricks and stone reliefs. An artistic recreation of costumes worn by female tomb figurines from the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
[paywall]
“The database also includes dedicated sections for accessories such as footwear, headwear, hairstyles and makeup. Specialised collections have also been developed for opera costumes, ethnic minority attire and qipao. When integrated with independently developed virtual reality software for ancient costume display, the platform enables users to experience traditional clothing culture in an immersive and interactive way,” Liu said.
[/paywall]
