《TAIPEI TIMES》 Double Ten outfits’ designs rooted in Taiwan’s trees

By Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter

The receptionists at the Double Ten National Day celebration are to wear outfits inspired by Taiwan goldenrain trees to symbolize the diversity and inclusiveness of the nation, the General Association of Chinese Culture said yesterday.

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Plant Soul Design sought to recreate the multiple colors — green leaves, golden flowers and reddish-orange fruit — of the trees, which are endemic to Taiwan, to showcase the nation’s cultural diversity, designer Chasel Lu （呂秉泰） said.

Streets and alleys nationwide are colorfully decorated by the trees, which blossom between July and October and bear fruit from August to December, as Taiwan celebrates the holiday next week, Lu said.

Female receptionists are to wear reddish-orange dresses with sleeves resembling the fruit of the tree, while their male counterparts are to wear suits with the texture and color of the tree’s bark subtly showing through, he said.

The shoes, sponsored by Shui-mu International, are designed for comfort, and to help the receptionists maintain good posture and show confidence, Shui-mu general manager Michelle Kuo （郭欣怡） said.

The association, as a partner of the National Day Preparatory Committee, aims to give Taiwanese designers opportunities to shine with the outfits’ design, association secretary-general Lee Hou-ching （李厚慶） said.

By including cultural elements in the clothes, Lee said he hopes the world can learn more about Taiwan as the celebration is becoming more internationalized, with this year’s event to feature performances by Japan’s Emerald Knights marching band from Tokyo University of Agriculture Second High School, and the Bruin Marching Band of the University of California, Los Angeles.

In related news, Overseas Compatriots Affairs Council Minister Hsu Chia-ching （徐佳青） yesterday said that an estimated 4,000 Taiwanese living abroad would return to participate in the Double Ten National Day celebration.

The council has launched a scheme to provide travel subsidies for overseas Taiwanese to join the celebration, Hsu said.

The council approved 118 tour packages organized by 43 domestic travel agencies to encourage overseas Taiwanese to return and learn about developments in the country and explore business opportunities with domestic companies, she said.

To be eligible for the subsidy, overseas Taiwanese must join the approved package tours and participate in one of the national day celebration activities announced by the committee, such as the main ceremony or the official party that night, she said.

The council has allocated a budget of NT$5.52 million （US$171,232） for the subsidy and would draw on contingent funds if the budget runs out, which had never happened before, Hsu said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES