(ECNS) -- The 2026 Silk Road Fashion Week opened Saturday in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, featuring runway shows, exhibitions of intangible cultural heritage and cultural experiences that blend Silk Road traditions with contemporary design.

The 2026 Silk Road Fashion Week opens in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 11, 2026.(Photo: China Daily)

The event runs through July 19 and focuses on cultural heritage, Eastern aesthetics and ethnic unity.

The opening ceremony included demonstrations of traditional crafts and themed fashion shows inspired by cultural elements such as Atlas silk and the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) brocade bearing the inscription "Five Stars Rise in the East, Benefiting China."

The 2026 Silk Road Fashion Week opens in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 11, 2026.(Photo: China Daily)

Organizers said the event aims to promote the preservation of intangible cultural heritage, boost cultural tourism and showcase Xinjiang's diverse cultural traditions and Silk Road heritage to a broader audience.

(By Helen Mo, intern Zou Hanjun)