新中裝 (xin zhong zhuang): New Chinese Tunics

The outfits worn by APEC leaders during their conference in Beijing have a formal name: "New Chinese Tunics". The designers have explained the unique meaning woven into the outfits: while "Chinese" means the design follows traditional culture, "new" symbolizes innovation. These two elements were combined to give the outfits their special looks.

The outfits were designed in three styles: one for female leaders, and the other two for male leaders and their spouses. The material used to make the outfits was Song silk, which dates back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), mixed with a small amount of wool to make the wearer more comfortable. The suits were handmade, designed with the help of computer, and combined traditional clothing with modern technology and decorative printing with the image of a river flowing into the sea, which symbolize the 21 economies represented at the APEC conference. The elegant, silky outfits were made in lustrous purple, verdant green and burnished brown.

Just one day after the images of APEC leaders in the new outfits appeared on TV, similarly styled suits were up for sale on Taobao, China's e-Bay. The sales of some other traditional outfits have also gone up after the "New Chinese Tunics" lighted up TV screens.