Getting 'haute' in Heilongjiang

As the host city of the 9th Asian Winter Games, Harbin's ice and snow culture, urban heritage and elements of the Games became important components of this year's event.

At one show, a particular garment caught everyone's attention.

Using three-dimensional tailoring techniques, Filipino designer Francis Libiran paid homage to the grace of the city's flower — the lilac — as part of his Harmony collection, with an ethereal purple gown.

"Temperature fuels creativity, and temperature differences inspire design ideas," said Wang. "Harbin has a temperature difference of 50 C throughout the year. The unique seasonal changes make the city a natural treasure trove for fashion designers to draw creative inspiration."