Dorothy Lacy travels with friends in Fenghuang county, Central China's Hunan province, in 1999. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Falling in love with Fenghuang

The first time Dorothy set foot in Fenghuang was on a tour in 1999, and she immediately fell in love with the breathtaking view of the ancient town and its Miao ethnic customs and culture.

The arrival of the new millennium saw Paul and Dorothy decide to form a business and tie the knot in the following year. Then with the help of a Chinese friend, the Lacys finally opened their embroidery workshop in Fenhuang in October 2014.

Thanks to the generous assistance of their local friends, the couple gradually settled down, fit in with the local ethnic community, and got their startup on its feet.