A traditional Chinese headdress made by Yan Hong. Photo: screenshot of video posted by Pear Video

Months of painstaking work go into one of Yan Hong's fabulous tiaras that are made of recyclable materials, leading the young artist to be invited to speak at the UK's Oxford University. 

Yan, from Chengdu, Sichuan Province, has posted videos on social media showing how she makes her traditional Chinese headdresses that have been viewed more than 5.6 million times. She has more than 230,000 followers. 

One of Yan's works, a headdress for a female character in Peking Opera, is made from 18 recycled soda cans. She first flattens the aluminum and then cuts it into the shapes she needs. Some pieces are cut and dyed to resemble the petals of flower while others are twisted into long curlicues that bounce as a performer nods her head.

Yan says her most satisfying coronet was a stylized Peking Opera headdress that took her three months to make. She has also made larger, more modern pieces that look like they belong to the world of haute couture.