T he curtain closed on the China International Fashion Week at the Beijing Hotel after nine days on Sunday. The week, billed as China's biggest fashion event, brought together 30 top fashion designers and makeup stylists, over 100 new designers and 27 fashion lines from 20 countries and regions and 25 sizzling shows.
Italian & French steal the show
Graceful, luxury and nostalgic Italian and French fashion swept the catwalk of the China Fashion Week. Stealing the limelight from domestic designers' shows, five shows by foreign designers pushed the fashion week to a climax last weekend.
Delicate feminine styles became the unanimous theme of all the five shows, which were given by Paris designer Irene Van Ryb, Nelly Rodi French design studio, Italian designer
Michele Miglionico, French Chinese Stephane Soh and Korean Choi Bo-ko.
Known as "Young Velentino", Miglionco's haute couture show on Sunday got the most attention from the media and Beijing's fashionistas.
Taking inspiration from the 1950s, the master's collection finds its splendor in the class and beauty of Suzy Parks, mythical model and inspirational muse of the greats of the fashion world such as Hubert de Givenchy and Balenciaga. All the collections focused on elegant tailleurs in black and white, in cashmere double with knit inserts, short jackets in boucle with bouillonne borders in double satin, balloon skirts in embroidered gold brocade, black and red evening dresses in taffeta. The dominating motif in the Michele Miglionico was the plisse in shades of gold and brown, discrete during the day and bright during the evening. There was also precious embroidery inlaid with Swarovski crystals and draped in harmony with soft lines, both linear and elegant.
And the following show by Van Ryb continued this nostalgic trend, exploring the 1950s elegance in women's casual wear and cocktail dresses. Short-waist skirts and velvet trousers were matched with tartan tunics, or double-breasted outer garments with close-fitting jeans. To strengthen the delicate touch, each suit was decorated with lace gloves, bright-colored obis, classic berets or bouffant caps as well as glimmering long necklaces.
While Miiow, the brand designed by esteemed Paris fashion studio Nelly Rodi, showcased low-key French street fashion. Close cut jeans were highlights on the catwalk, which changed to different styles of elegance, hip-hop or luxury when matched with fur-trimmed vests, silky blouses, bright striped T-shirts or polka dotted long stocks.
Most foreign designers absorbed Chinese elements into their designs to show their respect for Chinese culture.
Miglionco used Chinese knots as chic buttons and delicate Chinese brocade as trimming in his collection, Choi adopted colorful brocade satin for all his designs, Miiow applied Chinese embroidery as patterns on his jeans, while Soh took inspiration from Chinese architecture to design his latest pieces.
"We believe that the designs mixing Italian elegance with Chinese elements will win the hearts of the ladies here," said Miglionco.
Aimed at high-income women in China, the designers did not shy from dressing these women in more fashionable and international garments.
"As the birthplace of haute couture Paris has always had a legendary status as the center of the fashion world, and as more and more Chinese women can afford the international brands; they like to turn to French and Italy fashion for dressing solutions," said Van Ryb with a laugh: "That is why we are here to give shows at fashion week."
Fashionably competitive
With the end of fashion week, some new international fashion competitions, announced during the week, kicked off immediately to continue attracting attention from the world of fashion.
As this year marks the 10th anniversary of the China Fashion Week, a number of activities were held by the China Fashion Association (CFA) during China Fashion Week, including the announcement of many top tens: the Top 10 meritorious entrepreneurs, designers, models, and fashion institutes, as well as holding a grand closing ceremony, and the 10th anniversary party, a Public Choice Gala.
"China Fashion Week has experienced an extraordinary decade," said CFA president Wang Qing. "It has developed from only four fashion collections in 1997 to over 30 today; from an annual event to the event for two seasons a year; from small participation of local designers and companies to the wider involvement of overseas brands and designers."
A Qipai Fashion China Innovative Design Contest, which made its debut during the fashion week, is another event that caught the attention of the country's fashion gurus. With the aim of getting designers to pay more attention to Chinese culture and history, the contest required designers to hand in works inspired by Chinese ancient royal palace costumes, minority dresses and folk arts.
The Asahi Kasei China Fashion Designer Creation Award, which launched its first competition last Thursday, will be the highest level in the Chinese fashion industry to help Chinese designers realize their dreams. The competition will be held only among those designers awarded a China Top Ten Designers Award and the final winner of the competition will establish his or her leading role in the Chinese fashion industry. According to the organizing committee, the award ceremony will be held this November and twice annually in the following fashion weeks.
(China Daily 03/28/2007 page4)
