The third International Costume Festival closed on October 22 in Ningbo, the birthplace of China's modern clothes, after five days of fashion shows and trading.

　 On-the-spot trade volume at the festival went up to four billion yuan and 17 agreements were signed contracting 126 million US dollars of foreign investment.

　 This year's event, the largest ever held in east China's Zhejiang Province, included 700 booths occupied by representatives from 317 clothing manufacturers from home and abroad. More than 9, 000 business people attended the fair.

　 During the festival, China's 1st Exhibition of Menswear was held, along with an international costume forum and a fashion design competition.

　 China's first generation of tailors for western-styled clothes grew up in Ningbo at the start of the century. The city has nurtured a group of famous brands, including "Shanshan" and " Younger," since China's reform and opening up in 1980s.

　 The city now has more than 2,000 export-oriented clothes manufacturing and processing companies. Their combined output accounts for 12 percent of the country's total.

　 Some world-famous brands, like Maska, Pierre Cardin and Maxim, have based their workshops in the city, whose annual clothes export accounts for a quarter of the country's total.