Dressing for success
Tibetan costume has also helped to transmit the beliefs of Tibetan people to the modern generation, she says.
"Old men love to wear clothes painted with suns and moons, which signify good fortune, happiness and longevity," she explains. "The use of animals' leather and the original color of the wool also shows the wearer's respect for nature."
Li adds that the costumes reflect the simple and pious attitude toward life of the Tibetan people.
"They don't care about whether their children are the top students in class, whether they play the piano for two hours a day; they only care about whether they feel happy or not," she says
"Many visitors, especially those from first-tier cities, come to Tibet once and never want to leave. They enjoy the lifestyle when they're drinking sweet tea in the sun."
Tashi Yudron, founder of Barada, a local apparel company, says she has sold clothes to customers in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Sichuan province.
Prices of the clothes range from about 100 yuan ($14) to over 10,000 yuan and it takes three tailors two days to finish one piece of clothing. She also shoots videos to teach customers how to wear it.
"When I was young, my parents used to make clothes for me by recycling other people's clothes. In my hometown, we wear traditional costume every day. I have grown a strong attachment to it and, although starting my own business has been hard, I am on the way to realizing my dream."
