Models present traditional costumes during the 15th Mongolian Costume Arts Festival in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Nov. 19, 2018. About 2,000 sets of Mongolian costumes will be displayed during the 6-day event. (Xinhua/Ding Genhou)

HOHHOT, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- A garment festival aimed at promoting ethnic clothes opened Monday in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The six-day event began in the regional capital Hohhot, with close to 2,000 pieces of Mongolian ethnic clothes displayed.

Mongolian garment have more than 800 years of history and are a precious intangible cultural heritage in China. In 2012, the regional government issued a standard to help with the development of the clothes.

On Monday morning, a group of professional models as well as local herdsmen presented the ethnic clothes on a catwalk in a local TV station. Authorities said the clothes incorporated traditional and modern touches, and displayed culture and history.

A clothes competition will be held during the festival, with 159 teams to present nearly 2,000 items of clothing.

The first Inner Mongolia garment festival was held in 2003.