The commencement robes worn by graduates of the university in East China's Fujian Province are far from the traditional cap and gown seen at universities in the west. The robe has long, wide sleeves with the cuffs trimmed in gold, which also runs down the seams on the front of the robe. Photo: Screenshot of Pear Video

The designers of the Xiamen Institute of Technology's academic regalia received less than a passing grade with many netizens and students dissing the dress as "weird" and "scary."

The commencement robes worn by graduates of the university in East China's Fujian Province were far from the traditional cap and gown seen at universities in the West, but the designers said they had another tradition in mind: ancient Chinese fashion. 

The robe has long and wide sleeves with cuffs trimmed in gold, which also runs down the seams of the front and across the shoulders of the robe, a Sina Weibo video shows.

"The robe looks like something a Chinese Taoist monk would wear," wrote a netizen, who was joined by many others in criticizing the design. 

Challenged by the accusations, the designers said they intentionally included traditional Chinese elements into the pattern. "It's difficult to cater to everyone's taste but we'll take proper advice," the design team said.

The designers' explanation still didn't cut it with some netizens who unkindly wrote: "They didn't study ancient Chinese fashion very well. They just casually mixed some Chinese elements and claimed that it was traditional culture," wrote a netizen.

Other netizens supported the designers saying the robes looked good and may encourage other colleges to step up and design more stylish commencement regalia, and ignore the angry comments from anonymous neitzens.

Global Times