Zhang Zhifeng's dream is to capture 5,000 years of Chinese history in the designs of his Ne Tiger fashion label. So it was no surprise that the label was chosen to open International Museum Day in Nanjing on May 18, with a runway show featuring some of its most popular dresses from previous collections.

A mix of rare handicrafts and modern tailoring, it can be difficult to tell if Ne Tiger clothes are fashion items or cultural relics.

"We have thousands of years of cultural heritage to tap into, but we always try to innovate by combining it with Western elements," says Zhang, founder and art director of Ne Tiger.

In late April, the label was asked to design a gift for Danish Queen Margrethe II during her official visit to China. Embroidered with peonies and bamboo, the scarf for the queen represents prosperity and peace in Chinese culture.

Margrethe II, together with Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also visited the exhibition in celebration of Andersen's Fairy Tales in China, which consisted of five Ne Tiger dresses inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's stories.

The fairy tales were turned into images realized by ancient Chinese handicrafts. The dress inspired by the Ugly Duckling, for example, was adorned with the pattern of ducklings on the bottom and swans on the upper part.

Kesi, a type of tapestry woven with silk and gold that has a history of more than 4,000 years, and a type of brocade that goes back more than 1,500 years and could only be enjoyed by the royals in imperial times, were revived on the dresses. The ancient crafts sit alongside Western elements like lace and diamonds.

For every dress exhibited, there were at least nine that failed, Zhang says.

The handicrafts, which originated from China but later disappeared, were painstakingly resurrected, learned from Japanese artisans, conservationists who took part in the restoration of the Palace Museum and factories who have manufactured for Western brands.

"We want to revitalize the luxury culture in China, which is deeply rooted in our history," Zhang says.

European aristocrats, Arabian royals and wives of ambassadors have long been clients of Ne Tiger, he says.

Early in 2007, Prince Joachim of Denmark selected a Ne Tiger dress for the then to-be Princess Marie of Denmark.

A Ne Tiger red silk gown that uses seven ancient weaving techniques was collected by the Capital Museum in 2010.

Founded in 1982, the label started out in the fur industry and later expanded to evening gowns, wedding dresses and couture service. Each collection is focused on the aesthetics and handicrafts of a specific period in the Chinese history.

"We have to look back and discover our own culture to build a future for the brand," Zhang says.

sunyuanqing@chinadaily.com.cn