Fashion designer finds inspiration in Xizang

Zhao and her team plan to add QR codes to products this year, allowing users to scan and listen to narrated wildlife tales.

Despite geographic isolation hindering visibility, Zhao's team launched livestreams in August to showcase their crafts.

"Livestreams bridge Xizang with inland audiences, fostering mutual understanding," she said.

She's also embracing artificial intelligence tools to boost efficiency and language learning. "I hope to teach these technologies to Tibetans, easing communication and skill-building," Zhao said.

As a mentor at Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, Zhao integrates her philosophy into curricula. Students engage in design, production and management, grasping sustainable fashion's significance through practice. "I've mentored five groups of students. Many are inspired — one student even volunteered to teach in Xizang," she said.

Her dedication extends to her family. She frequently takes her son on fieldwork trips, sharing the values behind her designs and sparking his interest in biology and geology.

"My fifth-grader has grown to love biology, geology and chemistry, and his curiosity strengthens my determination," Zhao said.

The designer's transformation was filled with challenges, the first of which was the harsh natural environment of the plateau, pushing her body to its limits.

"When I first arrived in Xizang, I suffered from severe altitude sickness. I kept vomiting, and eventually even vomited blood, and was rushed to the hospital. There were several times when I almost gave up, but as soon as I got home and thought of the people and living beings there, I wanted to go back," Zhao said.

Her choice also faced early skepticism. "People joked, 'Why endure hardship there?'" she recalled. Yet her persistence gradually won support.

"After years of effort, even skeptics admire what we've achieved," Zhao said. Collaborations with enterprises in Beijing as well as Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces continue to expand her team's reach.

"I'll dedicate more energy to this cause. Greater breakthroughs lie ahead," she said.

Looking forward, Zhao aims to globalize her vision.

"Ethnic heritage belongs to the world. Just like the movie Ne Zha, our stories and products should transcend borders — reaching not just China but the globe," she said.

Shi Yudie contributed to this story.

yandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn