The ITU Collection, Combining Turkish Design with Chinese Symbolism, Was Exhibited in Hong Kong

Two garments designed by Beyza Nur Yılmaz, a fourth-year student in the Fashion Design Department (UOLP) of the Faculty of Textile Technologies and Design at Istanbul Technical University, and produced by Lecturer Dr. Belgin Görgün, have been selected for exhibition at the international “Threads of Unity: Belt & Road Fashion Gala 2025.” The collection was presented at a fashion show hosted by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU).

Threads of Unity: Belt & Road Fashion Gala 2025, as the main event of the PolyU Chinese Culture Festival 2025, aimed to reinterpret the Silk Road heritage through fashion. The event brought together cities and countries from six different regions—China (Beijing, Hong Kong, Macau, Xi'an), Asia, Europe, Africa, America, and Oceania—in Hong Kong's Kowloon district.

The fashion show was organized in collaboration with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Faculty of Fashion and Textiles, the Faculty of Humanities, and the Hong Kong Confucius Institute. As part of the program, which also included a cultural conference and textile design workshops, 30 invited countries and cities were represented by two designs each. The designs on display aimed to showcase the traditional clothing heritage and distinctive aesthetic values of the participating regions through a contemporary interpretation.

“One Root, Two Worlds” design concept

Two garments designed by Beyza Nur Yılmaz and developed under the concept of “One Root, Two Worlds” were showcased on the runway by professional models at a fashion show held on the campus square of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University on November 28–29, 2025.

The collection draws inspiration from the concepts of femininity, power, and protection, which are common to both Turkish and Chinese cultures. At the heart of the designs is the “Eli Belinde” motif, which symbolizes the protective nature and fertility of women in Turkish culture. This motif, reinterpreted in a contemporary style using gold thread embroidery and crochet techniques, was integrated with elements from Chinese culture: the lotus (purity), the pomegranate (abundance and fertility), and the spiral form attributed to Nüwa (creative and protective energy). This created a holistic design language emphasizing resilience, productivity, and continuity.

Material, technical, and cultural approach

The collection featured seraser and kutnu fabrics from the Turkish textile heritage alongside Chinese silk. Crocheted edging and fine hand embroidery were chosen as fundamental techniques symbolizing the intergenerational transmission of craftsmanship and cultural continuity.

The main approach of the design was based on the idea of intercultural unity and interaction. Tradition was not treated as a static structure, but as a living process that continues to evolve. The female figure was positioned as the bearer and transmitter of this process.

The silhouettes combine Turkish caftan and waistcoat forms with Chinese-style stand-up collars and silk skirts. This fusion is also reflected in the accessory designs: the gold-toned belt features symbols from both cultures, while the headpiece designs combine crochet techniques with a layered embellishment approach.

As a result, the collection presented a powerful and comprehensive narrative that revived the historical cultural exchange of the Silk Road through the language of contemporary fashion, integrating Chinese symbolism with traditional Turkish design elements around themes of femininity, protection, and strength.