The 2026 London Hanfu Day, featuring the Liyi Huaxia (礼衣华夏) Hanfu Model Contest in its UK London regional round, took place on June 14 at the Indra Gallery in London. It was the first time the competition had been staged outside China, and the London round drew 28 contestants of Chinese and other nationalities — the oldest entrant 75 years old — a vivid demonstration of Hanfu culture’s reach across age groups and borders.
First Overseas Round for a Major Domestic Hanfu Event
Liyi Huaxia had already held eight editions in China before this year’s London debut, which anchored the 2026 London Hanfu Day program. The London round ran under the Sohu Video “focus stream” platform, which has carried the contest since its founding. Founded in 2019, the competition bills itself as China’s first large-scale professional Hanfu model contest and a pioneering effort to bring traditional Hanfu onto professional runways. Its footprint now covers 28 provinces and more than 70 cities, with over 100 events staged nationwide each year; more than ten thousand enthusiasts of Chinese traditional style have entered over the years, and related topics have drawn over 100 million views online. Past editions have been staged at landmarks including the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai and the Yingtian Gate in Luoyang. This year’s edition runs eight core regional circuits covering nearly 70 cities, plus overseas qualifying points — the London round is the first node of that global expansion.
Traditional and Fashion Tracks: A Champion Emerges
The London round offered two tracks. The traditional track saw contestants model garments from successive dynasties — Quju (曲裾) robes of the Qin and Han, Qixiong Ruqun (齐胸襦裙) of the Tang, Beizi (褙子) of the Song, and Aoqun (袄裙) of the Ming — with refined makeup, carefully researched dress, and elegant runway strides recreating the look of each historical period. The fashion track focused on contemporary interpretations of Chinese-style elements, setting traditional dress and modern aesthetics side by side on the same stage. After multiple rounds of display and judging, a champion was crowned, with further opportunities in related events to follow.
The day went far beyond the runway. Guzheng and pipa duets performed Song of the Yue Boatman (越人歌); a solo guzheng played Loving the Spring Breeze (恋春风); a pipa solo delivered Ambush from Ten Sides (十面埋伏); a Peking opera piece presented Celestial Maiden Scattering Flowers (天女散花); a Guqin (古琴) solo performed Three Variations on the Plum Blossom (梅花三弄); a Kunqu (昆曲) aria drew from Peony Pavilion, the “Garden Stroll” scene (牡丹亭·游园); a solo dance offered Watching the Drifting Clouds (且看行云); and a group dance performed Spring Hidden in a Fragrant Fan (香扇藏春) — the program drawing warm applause throughout. A Chinese-style market ran alongside the stage, and at the close of the event Chinese and international visitors joined together in a Baduanjin (八段锦) experience, taking in the appeal of traditional Chinese wellness practice through the movements themselves.
Organizers: Carrying Hanfu Culture Farther and Wider
The organizers said they hoped the London Hanfu Day would serve as a bridge between fields and cultures, letting Chinese traditional culture travel farther and wider, and that it would remain a stage for people who love Chinese culture to present themselves and exchange ideas. With the Liyi Huaxia Hanfu Model Contest holding its first overseas round in London, Hanfu culture is opening a new window of overseas dissemination through the vehicle of competition.
