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The Miao coat,

Once upon a time, as I was looking through a book on textiles, I found an image so intriguing, so unexpected, that I could not stop staring at it. The picture portrayed a coat: the cut was that of a Japanese kimono – ornate, with a futuristic batik design and intricate tribal embroidery. I had never seen anything like it before. The caption said, 'Miao coat, late 19th century, Guizhou province, south-west China.  That evening as I fell asleep, pictures of shimmering fabrics and princesses with silk cocoons wrapped in their long hair danced in my head. When I awoke, I decided to pack my suitcase.
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