In a blend of tradition and fashion, the horse-face skirt has become the epitome of China chic! Over the past year, orders for new Chinese-style clothing on platforms like TikTok have surged by 195%, with orders for Hanfu increasing by 336%, and orders for horse-face skirts skyrocketing by 841%.

On May 17th, "China's Most Beautiful Costume: The Splendid Mamian Skirt" was released in Shanghai. This marks the first academic work dedicated to the horse-face skirt in China. The book explores its origins and evolution using literature, imagery, and artifacts. On the same day, a related exhibition opened at the Shanghai Textile Museum's third-floor gallery, running until July 18th.

The book systematically studies traditional colors of China, listing 198 categories, and cataloging horse-face skirt types unearthed from Ming Dynasty tombs. With 106 physical specimens and 200 detailed pattern illustrations, the beauty of horse-face skirts is vividly captured.

According to the author, the horse-face skirt, despite its name, doesn't resemble a horse's face but rather refers to battlements or ramparts protruding from city walls, aiding in defense strategies. This unique structure, resembling a 'T', enabled multi-directional attacks on enemies. The skirt's hemline resembles the shape of these battlements, hence the name "horse-face skirt."

The enduring appeal of horse-face skirts lies in their timeless charm, attracting not only enthusiasts of traditional attire and Hanfu but also gaining recognition and admiration on the global fashion stage. In ancient China, skirts were typically made by assembling multiple pieces of cut fabric. Some sections required stitching together, while others were layered without the need for seams. Certain areas needed pleating or edging, and exposed parts were adorned with various decorations, such as embroidery, printing, or adding gold embellishments. The horse-face skirt incorporates all these features, representing the culmination of the long-term development and evolution of ancient Chinese skirts.

Source: Compiled from reports of the Paper and China News by Yangcheng Evening News and Yangchengpai 

中式顶流马面裙有了学术专著！

融合传统与时尚的马面裙，无疑是当下的中式顶流！过去一年，抖音平台新中式服饰的订单量同比增长 195%，汉服订单量同比增长 336%，其中马面裙订单量同比增长 841%。

5 月 17 日，《中国最美服饰丛书——五色华彩马面裙》一书在上海发布。该书是中国国内第一部马面裙学术专著，运用文献、图像和实物，从名称溯源到形制流变，全面探索这一经典服饰。同一天，马面裙相关展览在上海纺织博物馆三楼专题馆开幕，将展至7月18日。

《中国最美服饰丛书——五色华彩马面裙》一书首次从中国传统色彩角度展开体系化研究，归纳了198 种中国传统色分类；系统梳理目前各明墓出土的马面裙类型，形成文物名录。通过106件马面裙实物详情，200张高清纹样结构细节图，真实再现马面裙之美。

据作者介绍，马面裙是中国传统服饰中十分经典和极具代表性的款式，马面并非马的脸，而是指敌台、墩台、墙台，因外观狭长形如马面得名。它是探出城墙的一个T型结构，可与城墙形成角度，以便消除城下死角，自上而下从三面攻击敌人，而马面裙的裙门，跟这种马面的形状特别像，所以就被叫作马面裙。

马面裙穿越百年时光历久弥新，依然散发着独特魅力，不仅受到传统服饰和汉服爱好者的喜爱，亦在国际时尚舞台被全球时装品牌和设计师们重视和追捧。中国古代的裙由多块裁好的衣片组合而成，有些地方需要拼缝，有的地方相叠而不用缝合，有些部位需要收褶或打裥，露在外面的部分会施加各种装饰，或提花或绣花或印染或加金。马面裙集以上特征于一身，是中国古代裙子长期发展的结果和产物。

（羊城晚报·羊城派综合澎湃新闻、中国新闻网等）

翻译｜刘佳慧