Among the ethnic groups living in Yunnan Province, Yi people are particularly famed for their diverse costumes and their fashion festivals. The events were first staged several hundred years and were initially beauty contests. Young Yi women strut down the stage, presenting outfits designed and made by themselves. The festival is a stage and these young Yi women are the main players — they are not only fashion models but also designers as well. The women will usually present more than one outfit in the festival. Like professional models in a fashion show, they will walk on and off the stage time and again, wearing a different outfit each time. Some may show five or six outfits.

Held at an open-air venue, the festival is far from the typical fashion show in other parts of the world. Thousands of locals, old and young, men and women, flock from neighboring areas to watch the competitions. Gaily dressed in their traditional colored garb, they throng the roads leading to the venue.

There is no catwalk, stage lights or backstage. All of the contestants do their own make-up, design and make their own clothes. Families and friends of the contestants pitch tents in surrounding fields or under the trees, cook food for the contestants and help the women prepare for the competition.