Lane Crawford marks 165 years with unique show

Luxury department store Lane Crawford has turned 165. And to mark the milestone, the store, which originated in Hong Kong, has launched a monthlong campaign in China, its main market.

The store, which has 11 outlets in major Chinese cities including Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu, is using the campaign to look forward with "visions from a new generation".

To articulate that vision, the store has set up a pop-up exhibition in Shanghai on the theme after working with 11 rising creative types from China, whom it believes will "shape the future of art, fashion and lifestyle" not only in China, but also around the world.

"The young Chinese fashion designers bring in freshness, innovation and newness, a new creative energy and a distinctive handwriting to Lane Crawford's shop floor," Joanna Gunn, chief brand officer of Lane Crawford, tells China Daily in an e-mail interview.

A majority of the new-generation designers picked by the store are currently based in China and see their home market as part of their future growth, which is different from their predecessors.

It used to be common for the older generation, if not the first generation of Chinese fashion designers since the 1980s, to seek global recognition before coming back home and dressing up their people.

The 11 projects created for the exhibition include not only avant-garde dresses made from bubble wrap or waxed paper, which accounted for two pieces, but also interpretations of Chinese ethnic minorities' embroidery, ceramics and a helmet decorated with crystal and anise, a humble Chinese herb that gives the headpiece a distinctive aroma.

Among the designers taking part in the exhibition is Lei Liushu and his high school and college classmate, Jiang Yutong, co-founders of Shushu/Tong, a Shanghai-based womenswear brand.

Speaking of their work, Lei, 24, says: "When we talk about a celebration, it seems natural to associate it with weddings and white dresses."

The graduate of London College of Fashion called their one-of-a-kind plastic white dress "the most conventional piece" among works of his peers at the exhibition.

Lei and Jiang established their brand less than one year ago, and the duo, who share an interest in cartoons and painting, decided to create a style that is "the opposite of the rock 'n' roll kind of cool", or "naughty and cute girl" cool.

Pieces from their first-season collection have been mostly sold out, according to Lei, a shy and bookish looking boy who adores Simon Rocha and J W Anderson.

Talking of the creators taking part in the exhibition, Gunn says: "A new interesting trend that we are seeing in this market is that Chinese consumers are becoming increasingly supportive of home-grown talent and are very willing to champion local designers."

She believes that there is a sense of national pride, in addition to the fact that they view Chinese designer collections as being more tailored to their body types, styles and preferences.

Meanwhile, Nofashion.com, the independent Chinese news website for trends and business in the world of fashion, estimates that the number of China's middle class in metropolises like Shanghai and Beijing has reached 1 million, and they are potentially, if not already, ready to dress themselves with what is generally marketed as "designers' brands", instead of luxury ones.

And stores, led by Lane Crawford, could be go-to destinations for these buyers.

xujunqian@chinadaily.com.cn