Origins of style

She says, "I'm totally attracted by what I saw and experienced. The costumes of the local ethnic groups impressed me a lot as they reflect the beauty of their culture. I'm thrilled to present their traditional culture and combine with what I do - fashion design. So I decided to deliver it in the form of a fashion show. If one show's not enough, then I'll do it twice or three times."

After close observation, Ma incorporated many intricate features of the local costumes into her own designs, such as beading and buttons that are commonly seen in traditional Lahu costumes.

"There are a lot more traditional cultural elements waiting to be discovered and expressed through fashion design," she says.

Ma was born to a family of farmers in Henan province in 1974. She began to pursue a career in modeling in 1994 before transforming herself into a fashion designer and establishing her own brand, Marry Ma Series, in 2002.