Liu Liu is every fashion designer’s dream model and muse, and she’s happy to spend hours getting herself measured and dressed in various outfits, and then posing for photoshoots thereafter. Liu Liu is also a cat. An extremely cute one too. She sports her light grey shade and curious eyes with the designer wear her ‘hooman’ makes for her, something she’s turned into a profitable business in just a short span of time.
Wu Qiuqiao, Liu Liu’s doting owner, makes a living from designing miniature versions of traditional flowing Chinese gowns, or Hanfu, for cats and dogs. These sell for up to 500 yuan ($70) each.
Qiuqiao, who spent two years working in Beijing, quit her job as a copy editor last year, and moved to Changsha to pursue her dream of designing pet-sized dresses out of pastel-coloured chiffon and decorated with embroidery, beads, frills and motifs. These pieces are sold online and have turned into a thriving business for the young designer.
Wu sells nearly a thousand pieces a month from her online store Chunfeng Daxiaoqiao and she regularly rolls out new designs to meet customer’s demands.
Liu Liu models the creations inspired by the historic costumes of the Han dynasty that are seeing a resurgence in popularity among young people, and now even pet owners.
“Some of my regulars may have already bought all the clothing in my store and occasionally ask me to introduce new designs,” Wu told AFP.
{{/usCountry}}“Some of my regulars may have already bought all the clothing in my store and occasionally ask me to introduce new designs,” Wu told AFP.
{{/usCountry}}Wu was inspired to make the historic garbs for Liu Liu when she couldn’t find apt clothes for her.
“I think hanfu is a heritage of history, and is also very beautiful. My business can allow people who enjoy traditional culture, or young people who enjoy hanfu... to be able to adopt ideas they like through pet clothing,” she added.
Hanfu is based on the idea of reviving costumes worn in bygone eras by China’s Han ethnicity. Some of the most popular styles belong to the Ming, Song and Tang dynasties.
According to a Reuters report in 2019, “Hanfu enthusiasts doubled to two million in 2018 from a year earlier, according to a survey by Hanfu Zixun, a popular community account on the Wechat social media platform.”
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