Results tagged “China”

In July The Armani Group released its financial results for 2009, and although the combined revenues dropped six percent from the previous year, Armani's performance in China is up 32 percent from 2008 from the 66 stores in China, in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Macau, and several other cities (5 more opening soon).

The Chinese love Armani, year after year..

The Huran report 2010 Best of the Best Awards, Giorgio Armani wins the best fashion brand for the sixth year in a row followed by Boss and Versace. Armani is also the favorite accessory brand with Hermes.

In China, sales of luxury goods are expected to reach $14.6bn by 2014, according to Bain, the consultancy and in a country where it is said that 55 people become millionaires everyday, more brands should be looking at this untapped gem of China for distribution.

"Sublety and understatement are the hallmarks of Kathrin von Rechenberg's style, combined with the technical excellence and meticulous attention to detail that are evident in every shaped, supple garment produced in her Beijing atelier."

 

Originally from Munich, Kathrin von Rechenberg was trained under top Paris couturiers such as Jean-Louis Scherrer, Emanuelle Khan, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, and Chanel.

 

The timeless elegance in her own designs is evident from every aspect of her creations from the use of precious fabrics to every single piece handmade with traditional handiwork. 

 

Her label's signature fabric is tea silk, a rare and unique fabric tradition dating back to the Ming dynasty. The creation process alone is a 30-40 step process used with organic plant ingredients and uses nature's very own water, sun, and sand to create it's natural luster, that only becomes more beautiful with time.

 

Having her own label in Beijing for nearly a decade, Kathrin von Rechenberg most recently released her Spring/Summer 2010 Collection at The Opposite House at Sanlitun, Beijing this past April.

 

LumDimSum Gets Behind-the-Scenes with Couturier Designer Kathrin von Rechenberg

 

 

LumDimSum (LDS): What originally inspired you to become a designer?

 

I've always loved to create things. Not only clothes. My father and grandfather were both sculptors so I started when I was young, and I created many things - hats, book covers, I have always liked to work with paper and fabric. 

 

LDS: During your time in Paris, you worked under various Paris Couturiers such as Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, and Chanel.  Under which designer was the most memorable and why? 

 

Gilles Rosier. At the time I worked with him, he had for his own label, after which he succeeded Kenso Takada. Before I worked with this label, I had only worked in big coutouriers, and I found it more interesting to work in a smaller company because I had been given more responsibility.

 

Working with bigger design labels like Christian Dior, you only have your own specific work to do and you don't get to oversee the entire process.  While Gilles Rosier did his own designs, I was involved in all the fittings with the models and the final product outcome.  This experience was most valuable because it was important for me to learn how to create my own brand.

 

I have always wanted my own brand.  I started with handcraft because I like to work with my own hands and I did this all because the goal was always to have my own label.  Now I have been here nearly ten years.

 

LDS: How has your style developed over the years?

 

I do not follow mainstream fashion trends. My own style is more flattering. 

 

At the beginning, I was obsessed with working like a sculptor, thinking of fashion as more of an artwork.  I was so focused on straight lines and technique, but now I concentrate on the female body form and how clothing should fit the shape of a woman.

 

While my style seemed more abstract before, now I am closer to my own clients' needs.

 

LDS: When you design your collections, what type of woman do you have in mind? 

 

Someone like me - someone who is active in life, maybe she has children while also balancing a full-time job.  Someone who doesn't have time to go home, someone who doesn't have time to think about what she will wear. An active woman who knows what she wants out of life.  My style is not for very young girls, but more for mature women, who has her plate full and knows exactly what she wants.

 

LDS: What are three signature characteristics that set your label apart from the rest?

 

1.    The material

2.    Form/shape of my clothing

3.    I use only 100% natural material. Nothing synthetic or stretch. Most of my clothes can be worn inside-out and the craftsmanship behind each article of clothing is very essential. 

 

It's very important to also focus on the quality of my label, which may not so obvious to the untrained eye. The excellence of the clothing is understated; it does not showing off.  The finishing of the clothing is much more work than embroidery somewhere.  My label is designed for people who understand good quality.

 

For example, sometimes when some people see fagating stitching, they think it's not finished, but rather it is a different style of stitching that requires very close attention to detail.

 

LDS: When did you first discover vintage tea silk fabric and when did you first decide to make it your signature fabric?

 

It really was love at first sight. 

 

I have a friend who is a Taiwanese fashion designer, who I met at design school in Paris and began working with her several times on her collections in Taiwan as her modelist. 

 

LDS:  What is it about tea-silk that has made it your signature fabric?

 

It's everything really. Tea Silk has a very distinct touch, it makes a specific crisp sound, and it even has a particular smell. And because of it's natural creation process with the dyes drying in the sun, the final product produces various shades of black.

 

The fabric is thin, but with style it gets heavy. It has a quality similar to paper, and I have always loved to work with paper and fabrics. 

 

LDS: Making tea silk is such a long and laborious 30-step process.  Can you tell me about this process? Have you personally seen it made before?  

 

Silk can also be known as mud silk since it is made with a specific type of mud found in the Pearl River in Hong Kong.  I have been there and have made special requests for my tea silk. 

 

Normally it takes about one week to make the fabric, but once the fabric is dyed, I need to keep it for three years before you can wash it and actually start to wear it (otherwise the color will just wash out). 

 

Like aged wine, the older the fabric it is, the better quality it is. The fabric I'm wearing now is more than twenty years. 

 

LDS: What advice can you give to aspiring designers?

 

There are many things they need to learn first about design. They really need to understand the proper techniques. They need to understand the clothes and how the clothes need to be cut and worn.    

 

Everything I create is hand-stitched, I do not use a sewing machine. 

 

The meaning of coutierier is actually a seamstress.  I work as a coutierier as I have my own design and label, but I work as they once did in the 50's, where I design a collection and then we tailor make our collection pieces to our client's specific measurements. 

 

LDS: What is the most valuable advice someone has given you?

 

I met a Brazilian designer in Paris named Gustavo Lins, who is sold in the best places in Paris and like me, he started out as a modelist, someone who designs clothes on a dress form, working like a sculptor. 

 

He once told me not to take things so seriously, that you need to have fun when you are creating your collections.  It may not have been the most important advice in my life, but it has stuck out in my memory.

LDS:  If you were not a designer, what would you be doing?

 

I would be doing a lot of music.  Playing the flute. 

 

LDS: Top dining destinations in Beijing?

 

Very Siam. They deliver here to our yard since they are our neighbors. 

We also love the Orchard. 

[Read more from LumDimSum]

 

Mao Jacket by artist 王强 WangQiang

Chinese Fashion has evolved dramatically in a very short period of time. Here is a review that was aired on CCTV for Beijing's 60th Anniversary Celebration, today in Beijing, China reviewing the historic evolution of Chinese fashion from 1950 to 2009.

1950's Chinese Fashion
Mao Jacket
Father & Son look with pen in the pocket to depict intelligence.
Suits of blue and green.
Military style fashion.
Soldiers then were heroes of the times.
The worker look.
Women wore the "Bladge" dress, a one piece dress looking western style house on the prairie look.

1960's Chinese Fashion
While the rest of the world was more colorful than ever, Chinese fashion remains polo shirts and dominant in conformity, with somber colors still of Grey, blue, greens. Heritage was important. Military style still prevails. Shoes representing names "The Liberation Shoes", with very durable rubber soles looking like military converse, were the fad. Symbol of the cultural revolution.

1970's Chinese Fashion
The fake color was everywhere, with sweaters worn over them for summer without layers. Sunglasses were one style that everyone had. Blues and grays still prevailing.

1980's Chinese Fashion
The golden age of the western fashion boom of brands and supermodels, the western suit became popular in China. No ties were worn, with sweaters interchanging. Tight fitting gym pants for women were everywhere which explains the lean towards sport fashion production in China.

1990's to 2009 Jump in Chinese Fashion
Jeffen by Frankie previews regularly in Paris Fashion Week, along with Ji Xienbo Litang with him reinterpretation of men's fashion coming from a place of research and culture for menswear. The Chinese fashion industry is now looking to build their brands to an international standard. 360Fashion opens offices in Being, China and builds a showroom for their fashion professionals.

Everyone in the west is starting to hear the chimes of China. The other day we overheard people talking about how many young companies are springing up. However, quality, professionalism, and delivery are hard to find at times in the concrete jungles of Beijing. You gotta hustle to make your mark. 360Fashion recently worked together with the Street Hustle event company in Beijing and were impressed with the delivery. We met up after the event with Matthew Arnett, Executive Officer of the company, and asked him about his experience in China and what he's been hustling lately.



INTERVIEW WITH MATTHEW ARNETT / STREET HUSTLE

Q: What made you start a company in China? 

China's a bit like the wild west. Because everything is so new and developing so fast, everything's wild and untamed here. That doesn't mean just risk, but also huge opportunity and potential. With so much getting started, there's a lot of room to establish a company here to my own ideal, rather than fitting into a locale with an established way of doing things. People think of China as an old-fashioned country, but in many ways the new China is a place where new things happen. 

Q: What brought you here? How did you end up in Beijing and how long have you been suspect here? 

Seeing that China was the future of things. Everyone feels like China is the next big place to take over entertainment. It's going to be the next superpower, so I wanted to get a head start.  Right now in Beijing, the entertainment is underdeveloped, and I felt like I could nurture. I have a lot of opportunity to create something like that. It's not like Shanghai, which has a much more developed infrastructure. 

I came here in 2005 for a conference and Will took me out. And just because of the night life, I decided that I would come back and live. Beijing's night life is really on another level. I was so inspired that I came back in 2006 to work.

 

Q: How did you open a company? Was it a grueling process?  

Starting a business from the ground up requires a lot of hard work and dedication, but I didn't name it "Street Hustle" for nothing. Everyone on board from day one is here to hustle and give all there is to give to the job.  

It can be especially tough in the beginning because our thought from day one when we went to meetings with club owners, concert promoters, and other big companies was: let us prove to you what we can do first, then we'll talk about a contract. Let us throw a party, let us show how big of a crowd we can draw, how wild we can make the party, and then let's talk. Our bets paid off when show time came, but it did make for a tough beginning.

Q: How do you cope with doing business in China? 

Doing business in a vastly different culture is harder than hopping on a flight. So I am used to reminding myself often to be patient and understand that there are different ways of doing things over here. My motto for working with partners is that it only seems like we have conflicts until we both just communicate what we need. I find over and over again that simple communication solves most problems.

Q: What are the elements of success in China? 

In China right now, there's a great space for innovation. If you've got a great idea, you can come here to try it out and make it big. The only catch is that it will probably come with more cross-cultural hurdles than you can imagine, so you'll have to add a dose of perseverance.

Q: Is your plan long term here in China? 

Street Hustle is a global idea, of which China is a part. Street Hustle will be in Beijing to stay, and plans are in the oven for expansion. If expansion takes me across the world, so be it. But Beijing will always have a place in my heart. 

Q: What do you think about the Chinese party scene? Why do Chinese and westerners not mix?

People sitting at home across the ocean probably imagine the Chinese party scene to be as boring as a trip to grandma's, but they're dead wrong. Back in the US, most bars and clubs are legally required to shut by 2AM. Here, the party goes right on through the morning. In Beijing, some clubs don't really get started until 3 in the morning, when clubs back in the States would be long since shut.  

Chinese and Westerners definitely have different styles of partying, but that doesn't mean they don't mix. Hip hop is an American phenomenon, but check the dance floor at Club LA any night of the week, and you'll see Chinese people enjoying themselves just as much as Westerners.   

360Fashion Exclusive Interview with RAY P. LEE, co-founder of Chopshop Concept Store, Beijing, China.

360时尚在中国北京独家采访Chopshop 创意店的合伙创始人RAY P. LEE.

Q: Tell me about your store
     请给我介绍一下您店的情况

R: The store is in the 798 art district, known for its art galleries and museums but not anchored YET as a destination for retail. We're introducing designers not yet represented on the mainland, designers we know, designers we like, its very personal.这个店位于以艺术画廊和博物馆著称但还不是零售集中地的798艺术区.我们在大陆介绍我们认识或我们喜欢的设计师.

R: Myself and Lin Jing, arguably China's most renowned product designer, so we are the two creatives. We do all the merchandising, the buying, the concept and then we have a couple of silent partners who operate the business side of the operations.我和Lin Jing(中国最著名的产品设计师),我们是2个创意主义者.我们负责所有进货和创意.除此之外,我们还有一些幕后的合伙人负责商业上的运作.

Q: First opening or relaunch?
  第一次开店还是再经营？

R: Yes it's a relaunch. It was previously more a gallery space for design and to highlight Lin Jings work. But a new direction was decided upon and I was brought in as a partner to side saddle with LinJing on the creative and inject a more international perspective.算是二次经营了.之前更像是设计画廊用来展览Lin Jing的作品.然后我们确定了一个新的方向,我们增加了更多创意和加入了更多国际思维.

R: Well, I think the customer is quite varied. It's for kids, hipsters, fashionistas, socialites, no specific, our target aims across the spectrum. Our price points are really competitive and most are one-off pieces.我想顾客群体很多样.有孩子,赶时髦的人,社会人士,没有特定,目标人群范围很广.我们的价格也是很有竞争力,大部分也只卖一件.

R: Maybe...I mean it's all about me (laughs). Well, us!!也许...都是关于我(大笑).是我们!

R: Yes I bought in small quantities to test the ground. As I said, 798 is not really a destination for fashion and retail. I just want to bring in some designers that are known in fashion circles in Europe and the States but yet in China and do a small edit, and gauge the reaction from the customers and friends.是的我进货量很少,是想先做测试.我说过,798并不是时尚和零售集中地.我想介绍一些在欧洲和美国时尚圈里著名的设计师到中国先做一个测试,看看顾客和朋友的反馈意见.

Q: What designers?
什么设计师？

R: A real mix, for example Bless from Germany, Ato from Japan, Antik Batik from Paris, Tom Scott from New York, Chinese designers Zhang Da and Qiu Hao, Senada Theory from Thailand, Henrik Vibskov from Denmark to name a few...

德国的Bless，日本的Ato，巴黎的Antik Batik，纽约的Tom Scott，中国的Zhang Da 和Qiu Hao，泰国的Senada Theory ，丹麦的Henrik Vibskov,先举这些例子...

R: I found the only two I feel come with a point of originality. You know with a kind of intellectual not just a commercial process, which is the problem with a lot of designers in China.我知道的有2个原创的设计师.你知道,是有创意,而不是纯商业设计,在中国的很多设计师都会出现这个问题.

R: Qiu Hao, who I took to Paris last year and won the Woolmark Prize. A very important prize: Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karen have all won that prize...It's a big international design prize for young designers. Qiu Hao was the first designer from mainland China to win such a major prize.

Then Zhang Da from Shanghai who is a very clever wise guy with a Japanese / Martin Margiela spin sometimes, but definitely more conceptual than a lot of designers. It's very much his look.Qiu Hao,我去年带到巴黎,获得了Woolmark奖.非常重要的一个奖项:伊夫圣罗兰,卡尔·拉格菲尔德,杜嘉班纳,唐纳.凯伦都获得过这个奖项..这是一个年轻设计师的知名国际设计大奖.Qiu Hao是第一个获得这个奖项的中国大陆设计师.还有来自上海的张达也是很聪明,他的设计有时带有日本风格,他比很多设计师更有想法.

There are a couple in London that I am interested in, they are still in design school and they are from the Chinese Mainland. They  starting to generate a lot of press as well, even though they are still in school.还有我在伦敦很感兴趣的一对夫妇,他们来自中国大陆,还在设计学院学习.他们虽然还在学校,但是已经开始参与很多媒体活动. 

R: They have a point of difference. They're not just coming from a commercial point of view. They're experimental and dare to think out of the box.他们和别人不同.他们不仅仅从商业的角度考虑.他们非常有探索精神,并且敢跳出常规思维.

R: Not sure about Zhang Da but I know Qiu Hao studied at Saint Martins in London which is one of the most renowned schools for fashion. They have a western point of view but they are still strongly rooted in China.  They're groovy and they explore. 我不知道张达,但是Qiu Hao 在伦敦的圣.马丁斯学习过,这个学校也是时尚界最有名的学校之一.他们受西方思想影响,但是仍然扎根于中国.他们具有创新精神.

Q: In Beijing are you going around and visiting other designers, are you in touch with the young designer scene here?

在北京您有没有拜访别的设计师,特别是年轻的设计师?

R: No. No. I used to be in touch with them. I used to follow. I should get back onto that. I am interested to see what young kids do, but unfortunately it's still a bit early. But yeah, I'm always on the lookout for whos around, whos next.没有,没有.我过去和他们保持着联系.我想我现在也应该这么做.我很对年轻的孩子们在干什么很感兴趣,但是现在还有点过早,不过我时刻都在关注.

Q: What about the Chinese customer understand the point of view on fashion that you have?

中国的顾客能理解您对时尚的观点吗?

R:No. [laughs] My friends do. But the average customer? More and more they do. I mean they have internet, they travel, they travel alot more than they used to do. They are a lot more fashion savvy than they were four of five years ago and with that they're becoming increasingly adventurous.不.我的朋友们理解.但是一般的顾客?越来越多的人理解.我的意思是他们有网络,他们有更多的旅游机会.他们更热衷时尚,更具有冒险精神. 

Q: Isn't there an education process that you have to go through?       Chinese  aesthetic has often been likened to "No Style". What do you think about that?

R: Yeah, in general. It's a process. There's a lot of bad fashion here. There's an education process that has to happen here but I'm not going to do it! [laugh]. The designers I bring are not well known here, but they are well known in Europe and in the States, so there is an education process that has to happen here. Take people through the collection, explaining it to them is part of the process. And I have done that so the customer starts to see it in a different way. A piece of cloth hanging on a hanger without a story, is just a piece of cloth. It's not Gorgio Armani which has an image already attached to it most people are familiar with. 总的来说,是这样的.需要一个过程.在这里有很多不好的时尚,需要有一个教育的过程,但是我不会去负责这个工作.我带来的设计师在这里并不出名,但是在欧洲和美国很有名.让人们参观展览,给他们做解释是教育的一个部分.我已经在这样做了,顾客们也在以一种全新的方式来看待.一件挂在衣架上的没有故事的衣服,只是一件衣服.这不是一件已经有人们已经熟悉的阿玛尼的形象.

Q: Don't you think that the majority of customers here in China are just looking for "cheap price"? Or big names? We keep hearing they only want famous brands--you can only bring in famous brands to China and be successful? Because the Chinese customer is a little bit Russian style where they show that they have money.

R:  Bling. They love the bling. But you know that's not me and I know that my niche is small. 

But I think it's a growing niche. And I think that people do want to be different; want to be unique, to stand out. People increasingly do want to have alternatives and there ought to be alternatives to the tried-and-tested high end and high street. I think that you can wear Louis Vuitton with any of the pieces that I have, or you can wear H&M with any of the pieces that I have. You can dress it up, you can dress it down. Again, I think that's the style process that has to be relayed.人们还是希望有不同,希望独特,希望能够突出.人们希望有更多的选择.我想你可以穿路易斯.威登搭配我这里的任意衣服,你也可以穿H&M,搭配我的衣服.可以随意的上下搭配,我想就是时尚发展的过程.

in 1994 I came here to study Chinese. I survived BCLU University about a week but stayed a year hanging out with the artists, being part of the scene here drinking cheap Chinese vodka and slamming tequilas in Maximes - a lot of fun and no fashion! Absolutely no fashion!! We were all dressed very badly. We all found things in markets and we had a sort of patchwork of really bad Chinese clothes. But it was a 90's Beijing style and somehow it worked! It was appropriate, Beijing back then was a very different city. Now of course it's very cosmopolitan. 第一次我来是在90年代.在1994年,我来这里是学汉语,我在BCLU大学学了一周,然后和艺术家们混了一年,喝中国伏特加,很有意思,但是一点都不时尚.绝对没有时尚!我们都穿的很糟糕.我们在街上市场里买很糟糕的衣服,但是那是在90年代的北京,那会还行.那会的北京不一样,但是现在是个非常现代化的都市.

Q: Do you think it is too late? Anybody coming in now--it's too late to do anything?

您认为现在是不是太晚了？如果想来中国-一切还来得及吗？

R: No! No. There's lots to be done! Lots to be done. Lots to educate. Lots of gaps that need filling. Lots to collaborate on.还有很多事情可做,很多需要教育的东西,很多需要添满的空隙,还需要很多合作.

360Fashion: What is happening now in China with fashion?
360时尚：现在中国时尚业发展是什么现状？

Brian Zhang: "There is old Chinese saying, "the first bird who stand out will get shot!" which means don't be different--''that keeps 1.3 billion people in line for almost centuries. Back in 60's, people [in China] dressed the same color white shirt black pants. Same hair cut. Until the 70's when there were movies brought in from Hong Kong--there were jeans and tight pants with wide open at the end... 80's when we found leather, then Nylon, and today people don't want to be the same, but diversified. Fashion to me is not just a sale pitch motivating consumers being sold on ideas to follow and compete, but to free people to express themselves and be who they are. We're unique creatures.

中国有句俗语叫枪打出头鸟，意思就是不要标新立异-这种思想长期影响着中国13亿人口。回到60年代，当时的人们衣服颜色是一样，白衬衣，黑裤子。同样的发型。直到70年代，香港电影里的牛仔裤，下摆很宽的紧身裤。。。80年代，有了皮草，尼龙。今天的人们不想保持不变，他们追求多元化。时尚对于我来说不仅仅是卖衣服，更重要的是解放大家的思想，让人们自由的去表达自己，我们每个人都有自己的个性。

Fashion is meaning to be liberated, a fundamental revolution of life and total freedom."

Quote from Brian Zhang at the FIRS fashion show.
"时尚就是解放，对生活的根本革新和完全的自由。"

引自Brian Zhang 在杉杉时装秀的采访内容

 

 

3月24日，中国国际时装周（09/10秋冬系列）在北京隆重开幕。为期一周的时尚盛会将在D·PARK北京会所、北京饭店等主场地举办专场发布、专项大赛、专题论坛等专业活动近40项，本届时装周将于3月30日结束。

在本届时装周期间将有来自国内外的近20个知名品牌举办流行趋势发布，其中包括"普莱姆"皮草、"陈娟红·凯莱希"模特时装、NOTTING HILL男装、"浩沙"泳装、"爱登堡"商务休闲男装、"真维斯"休闲装、MISS SUN（米尚）女装、韩国Lea Seong高级时装、"乔丹"运动装、Marisfrolg女装、"波司登"防寒服、Cabbeen时尚休闲男装、JIE.SI（杰施）女装、Septwolves男装、意大利PACIOTTI 4US休闲装、意大利运动时尚品牌LOTTO等。参与流行趋势发布的设计师有陈娟红、杨耀基、TINA MACCUISH、孟宪访、成受燕、朱琳、卡宾、刘勇、施杰、丹尼尔·法瑞特等20余位中外时装设计师。

清华大学美术学院、北京服装学院、浙江理工大学服装学院以及中央美术学院设计学院等四所国内知名院校将分别举办2009届时装设计毕业作品发布。

来自18个国家的31位青年设计师和来自全国15个省市地区的24位设计师将分别参加于3月24日、26日举办的"汉帛奖"第17届中国国际青年设计师时装作品大赛和"威丝曼"2009中国针织时装设计大赛总决赛。3月28日，"旭化成·中国时装设计师创意大奖"获奖设计师作品发布会将在北京饭店举行。此外，时装周期间还将举办新闻发布、招待酒会、流行趋势讲座、时尚沙龙、音乐派对等16场专项活动。

中国国际时装周自1997年创立以来，经历了480余场设计师和时尚品牌发布会、60场专业大赛和12届中国时尚大奖颁奖盛典的洗礼，中国国际时装周已发展成为中外品牌和设计师发布流行趋势、展示时尚创意的综合性专业服务平台，成为中外媒体和业内外人士关注的时尚焦点。

 

China Fashion Week Opening Ceremony in Bejing

China Fashion Week (Collections A/W 09-10) will open in Beijing on March 24th, 2009, and it will hold almost 40 events including fashion shows, professional contest, seminar and forum in D·PARK Beijing House and Beijing Hotel until March 30.

About 20 famous brands from in and outside of China will hold fashion collections and they are Pulaimu Fur, Judy Galaxy, NOTTING HILL Men's Fashion , HOSA Swimwear, EDENBO Business Casual Men's Wear, JeansWest Causal Wear, MISS SUN Fashion, Lea Seong, QIAODAN Sportswear, Marisfrolg Fashion, BOSIDENG Down Wear, Cabbeen Men's Wear, JIESI Shi Jie Fashion, Septwolves, PACIOTTI 4US, Lotto Sportswear. More than 20 fashion designers who hold fashion trends shows are Chen Juanhong, Yang Yaoji, Tina Maccuish, Meng Xianfang, Lee Seong, Zhu Lin, Cabbeen, Liu Yong, Shi Jie and Daniel Faret.

Academy of Art and Design, Tsinghua University, Beijing Institute of Clothing Technology, Fashion School, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Central Academy of Fine Arts will hold excellent graduates fashion show 2009 during China Fashion Week.

31 young fashion designers from 18 countries and 24 fashion designers from 15 cities will participate in Hempel Award the 17th China Young Fashion Designers Contest on March 24 and WSM China Knitted Fashion Design Contest 2009 on March 26 separately. AsahiKASEI Chinese Innovative Fashion Design Contest Liu Yong Fashion Collection will hold in Beijing Hotel on March 28. 16 events such as Press Conference, Reception Dinner, Fashion Trends Lecture, Fashion Salon and Musical Party will hold during China Fashion Week.

Since China Fashion Week has found from 1997, it has successfully held over 480 fashion and brand collections, 60 professional contests and China Fashion Award Ceremony for 12 times. China Fashion Week has been the fashion stage for fashion designers and brands to hold fashion trends, new design and build brands image. It has been fashion focus for medias and personages in fashion industry

Models Josh (left), Luc (center), Christian (right) from Modelline.

Rocking the 80's makeup movement currently happening on the runways of Paris and Milan, Paul Smith shows the Chinese how to bring fashion and art together on the catwalks of Beijing. Outside the China Fashion Week the men's collection was classic with a rocker twist.
在巴黎和米兰，一场80后化妆时尚运动正在进行。Paul Smith 展示给中国朋友的是怎么把时尚和艺术很好的结合起来。

点击查看开幕式的照片。Photos from the opening ceremony HERE.

"None & More" Fashion Exhibition in Sanlitun review: Students from CAFA kicked off a graduation exhibition of their fashion designs, entitled "None & More at the Village" in the recreation complex of Sanlitun Village in downtown Beijing. "With either progressive designs that challenge the imagination or refined cuts that appeal to more traditional sensibilities, those coutures cater to a completely different taste than the collections of established brands on display during the fashion week."来自CAFA的学生在三里屯村举办了一场名为 "None & More at the Village"的毕业展览秀，无论是前卫的设计，还是更为传统的精致剪裁，这些女装呈现出了和时装周里的品牌秀截然不同的风格。

CHIC2009:China Apparel Interview with Mrs Chen Yufang the vice president of Shenzhen Betu Fashion Co.,Ltd. Q: "What do you think the advantages or disadvantages compare domestic brand to overseas brand?  A: Local brand understands local market better, but they are short of original design style and without clear target customers. Overseas brand owns their store in China, they have rich sales experience. They pay attention to target market, R&D and talent."2009中国服装服饰博览会：采访深圳Betu 服饰公司副董事长陈玉芳。问题：您觉得国内品牌和国外品牌相比的优势和劣势是什么？回答：国内品牌更了解当地市场，但是他们缺乏原创的设计，而且没有清晰的顾客目标群体。国外的品牌有自己的店面，有丰富的销售经验，他们注重目标群体的市场，研发。
The Mystery of Beijing Fashion Week: 北京时装周解密：

"Google it and you will have a hard time finding what you are looking for among the mass of fashion and clothing websites. Despite the plethora of fashion sites online these days, up-to-date information on the Spring 2009 Beijing Fashion Week, which started Thursday, is nowhere to be found. But search in Chinese characters and I'm sure you won't have a problem finding information about the hottest fashion show in Beijing."在Google上搜索你会发现很难在众多的时尚网站中找到它。尽管有众多的时尚网站，但是却很难找到关于2009春季中国时装周的最新报道。但是我肯定如果输入中文肯定是能找到相关的信息。

CHIC2009 China Apparel Interview with the marketing majordomo of Zhuhai YouareYou Garment Co.,ltd "When we refer to the market competition, Mr. Li pointed out that a steady working team is the key. "you are you" has a good designer team to express a unique style which comes from the consumers' advice."中国国际服装服饰博览会采访 珠海YouareYou服饰公司 当我们谈到市场竞争的时候，李先生指出，有一个稳固的团队至关重要。我们有一个很好的设计师团队，来传达顾客需要的设计理念。

 

中国时装周期间，北京服装学院毕业作品展Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology graduate show during China Fashion Week.

With an ecological song in her heart Lea Seong opens her show with the theme "MILK". The theme is an extension of last year's brand launch show, Butterflies and Milk. Miss Seong really believes that it is time for fashion to make steps towards a more sustainable way of producing textiles, and is therefore investing her entire collection around fabric made entirely from milk. Hard to believe that the rich knits, fake fur hats, hand dyed fur coats, and silk-milk flower ballgowns are made with milk. The knits are thick with 3D patterns, the fake furs are soft and plush, the hand dyed coats are degradating in color sunsets, and the silk-milk mix ballgown has the texture of pure raw silk.

时尚环保的女装品牌

作为主要针对女性的时尚品牌 "LEA SEONG"，在款式方面以简单利落及时尚得体为主。本次的2009秋冬秀上，韩国设计师Lea Seong（成受燕）大胆地全部采用具有光泽感的牛奶面料，以本白、黑色、灰色、驼色以及巧克力色等色系作为主打色彩。Lea Seong通过对牛奶物质形态转化的精准把握，勾勒出轻盈温润的牛奶外观；撷取流畅的线条如牛奶般丝丝顺滑，温暖心扉，每个细节都诠释着女性的柔媚以及线条之美，充分满足女性的需求。Lea Seong简洁清晰的线条，优雅的版型以及含蓄的色调在不经意间充分地体现出个人职场魅力；具有奢华情调的晚礼服充分地展现出经典的黑白灰搭配，但更多地添加了华丽、繁复的手工细节；可与皮草相媲美的牛奶纤维大衣灼灼生辉，让穿着者在人群中和聚光灯下都无比瞩目。

Guests at the FIRS banquet dinner enjoyed a surprise flower dance and kung fu performance.
在场观众非常喜欢以花为题的舞蹈和功夫表演

The finale of the fashion show was impressive. The menswear collection featured looks ported out of the past with twisted new fabrics such as vinyl suit jackets in black, bow ties and bobby caps, medium cut pant suits in dark blue or velvet black. The women's dresses were flowing gowns in black, with ruffled flowered details on the back. The collection was aimed at the audience who was viewing it, fit for events such as this or high profile business evenings.
这场秀非常棒，男装选用的新型面料，颜色以深蓝和天鹅绒黑为主。女装以背部以花做为细节处理。这场秀适合参加大型商业宴会或类似今晚这种活动的时候穿。
 

At the end of the collection golden confetti fell from the ceiling giving the event a very festive new year's eve feeling. www.firs.cn

结尾的时候，金色的彩纸从顶端撒下来，给大家一种新年节日的感觉。

 

2009中国高级成衣品牌发布：

地点：北京·中国国际展览中心（新馆） 表演馆

 

3月26日

12:30             "十月妈咪" 孕妇装 2009春夏发布会

14:30             潮起海宁--2009凯宾科特时尚皮装发布

16:30             创意深圳2009----深圳时装品牌联袂发布

3月27日

10:30             2009"ROMA"高级男装发布会

12:30             "时尚·传奇"CC&DD 09秋季新品发布会

16:30             双面·印象--ALT09秋季新品发布会

3月28日

10:30             2009中国国际服装服饰博览会 海外品牌联演

14:30             绽放----2009伟志男装秋冬发布会

The 17th China International Clothing and Accessories Fair (CHIC2009) from March 26th to 29th will be held at the new China International Exhibition Center (New CIEC). The fair is co-organized by China National Garment Association, China World Trade Center Co., Ltd and The Suc-council of Textile Industry CCPIT.
由中国服装协会、中国国际贸易中心股份有限公司和中国国际贸易促进委员会纺织行业分会共同主办的第十七届中国国际服装服饰博览会（CHIC2009）将于2009年3月26-29日在北京•中国国际展览中心（新馆）举行。
The grand gala of China's garment industry, CHIS2009 will inclue eight exhibition halls with a total area of 100,000 sq.m. About 20 types of garmetnts will be displayed in 10 sections, including men's wear, women's wear, casual wear, kid's wear, leather and fur, down wear, accessories, creation design and fashion. More than 800 brands from 21 countries and regions, including Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Finland, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the United States, and Pakistan, as well as Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao spcial administrative regions and Taiwan province, will be exhibitined during the fair.
本届博览会展出面积共为10万平方米，划分为八大展馆、十大专项展区。来自中国、意大利、法国、德国、西班牙、瑞士、芬兰、英国、丹麦、美国、加拿大、澳大利亚、黎巴嫩、泰国、韩国、日本、印度、巴基斯坦以及中国香港、中国澳门、中国台湾等共计21个国家和地区的800余个中外服装服饰品牌参展，预计约10万专业观众到会参观洽谈。

HIGHLIGHTS亮点

• The largest fashion exhibition in Asia now亚洲最大的时尚展览


• Conferences, seminars and special programmes will also be taking place during the exhibition展览期间，包括了会议，研讨会和特别的活动


• Various other Fashion shows and entertainment programmes will be held concurrently with the event同时还有时装秀和其他娱乐活动


• CHIC has been proudly accepted as UFI member since the year of 2004CHIC同时还是 UFI会员


• Exhibition Area is 120,000 Square meters展览面积大


• It will attract over 120,000 visitors including representatives from department stores, trading companies and local agents参会人员范围很广，有百货商场，贸易公司和当地代理商

Beijing, China -- China Fashion Week 2009 FIRS banquet dinner was a successful meeting of dignitaries, celebrities, and the fashion council. The event was created to promote solidarity between China and the world, especially with the foreign community in Beijing, under current challenging economic circumstances. The evening was hosted by famous MC, Yang Lan, and broadcast on CCT2. The banquet was held in the Kerry Center where the China Fashion Week,  and Textile Councils spoke about the transformation of the China fashion industry from manufacturer to brand builder. The event showcased an extravagant dinner, cultural fashion show where dignitaries and celebrities wore local Chinese fashion designers and traditional costumes, a runway fashion show with China's top models, kung fu performance, and a lotus flower dance performance to traditional Chinese music.
北京，中国-2009中国时装周杉杉宴会名人汇集，更有时尚行业人士参加。该活动是在目前经济危机的背景下为了促进中国和世界的交流而举办的。这个活动由著名的主持人杨澜主持，在中央2台转播。晚会在中国时装周举办所在地举行，纺织协会也出席了该活动，并阐述了中国时尚产业正在由制造商向品牌化转变。该宴会不仅有美味的晚宴，文化的时装秀，名人们身着当地中国设计师设计的衣服和传统服装，还有中国顶级模特参加的时装秀，功夫表演，还有中国传统音乐和荷花舞蹈表演。

There was a special panel discussion with Ambassadors from Montenegro, Tunisia, and Ireland. The host asked what advice these Ambassadors had for China from their own countries growth experiences. The Irish Ambassador responded by saying that the fundamental contribution to Irish economic rise from the previous poorest country in the European Union, was investment in education.