Zhang Qian

    zhqcindy@163.com

    A recent post by Instagram user szxfzhw shows a Shenzhen school uniform on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England. The post has led to discussions about the city’s standard school uniforms.

    The photo shows a winter uniform in a display window and is accompanied by another photo of the uniform’s description.

    “This is the standard school uniform worn by every secondary school student in Shenzhen,” says the description.

    According to the museum’s official website, the exhibition starting today is themed “All of This Belongs to You,” which “examines the role of public institutions in contemporary life and what it means to be responsible for a national collection.”

    The current Shenzhen school uniforms were first issued in 1999. There are four sets of uniforms in total: sportswear, formal dress, the summer set and the winter set.

    The standard school uniform has gained popularity among students for its comfort and multifunctional nature.

    “I’ve always liked the school uniform because it is very comfortable in both winter and summer. Even though I graduated from high school many years ago, I still wear my uniform sometimes when I do sports or wear the pants as pajamas,” said Yang Huanshan, a 25-year-old who studied in Shenzhen throughout her school years.

    As the museum description explains, the Shenzhen school uniform has become a symbol of the city. Former students who graduated from Shenzhen schools can quickly spot their counterparts wearing the uniform even when studying abroad.

    “It’s like a symbol. When you see someone wearing the school uniform and walking in Australia, the United Kingdom, America or elsewhere in the world, you feel acquainted with that person immediately,” said a Shenzhen graduate surnamed Hong who is now studying architecture in the United States.