Once preserve of nation"s elites, the traditional textile is now fabric of everyday use

　　Song brocade designer Shi Yi introduces her cultural and creative products to Nikola Chovancova, a Slovak student, at her studio in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, on Wednesday. CHINA DAILY

　　When London-based fashion designer Brandon Choi walked into Shi Yi"s boutique in downtown Shanghai, he did not expect to leave with plans for the following day.

　　Captivated by the Song brocade pieces on display, he learned that the centuries-old fabric came from Suzhou, Jiangsu province, where Shi"s studio is based.