China Fashion Week First Signs of Haute Couture

China Fashion Week (CFW), this year in its ninth incarnation, continues to expand and improve on all fronts, though it still has a way to go before becoming an international draw-card in its own right a la Paris, Milan, London and New York. BTM’s Daragh Moller caught up with Wang Qing, 2005/2006 president of CFW.

Moller: Your plans, hopes, aims? How did CFW come about, and what are its successes so far?

Wang: CFW is designed to showcase China’s top brands and the creations of design students coming into the industry. The 2005/2006 autumn/winter shows kicked off at China World Hotel and Beijing Hotel in March, and then ran during the last six days of April.  

The first CFW was in January, 1997, so it has a history of nine years. During the first year we mounted only three fashion shows. This number gradually increased almost year by year, and in 2004 we had 30 shows, representing great progress. The fashion week was originally planned for once a year, but in 2003 we doubled it to stay in line with the world trend and to enable our industry to meet seasonal demands for garments. Marketing and logistics were equally major considerations. CFW is at base a platform for fashion enterprises.

The theme every March Week is autumn/winter releases and brands, and the November Week theme surrounds spring/summer releases and designers.

M: Does CFW work closely with western fashion houses and organizations?

We have a close connection with the “Chambre de la Couture Parisienne” (French Haute Couture Association). Our two organizations had some exchanges during the Sino-French Cultural Year. We also have contacts with fashion associations in Italy, Japan, Korea, Britain, Spain, Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, India and others countries, and with some overseas fashion colleges. The fashion associations of Korea, Japan and China established the Asia Fashion Association. All our exchanges are oriented to absorb the strong points of other countries and to promote Chinese lifestyle.

China’s fashion industry is relatively young, so just how far has it come? What are its aspirations?

Our industry is different from that of France or Britain. Their industries have very specific classifications. For example, there are haute couture [high-class dressmaking] and street-version sectors which we don’t have. The average annual income of the Chinese is US$1,000, so our economy doesn't yet support a well-developed fashion industry. But the situation will surely improve little by little.

Although our industry currently focuses on the production of street garments [prêt-a-porter, or ready-to-wear], more and more designers are getting involved in haute couture, especially in metropolises such as Beijing and Shanghai. Their major customers now are celebrities such as movie stars, and top businesswomen. Our industry relies on the market, which is now making larger demands. It is experiencing a transition from street-version-based clothing to haute couture-based.

To what degree does Chinese fashion differ from fashion elsewhere? Can Chinese fashion achieve a unique place in global terms?

China is deeply influenced by world trends which it can not ignore or be separated. In general, China now keeps pace with world trends, though in the past it was one step behind them. The ‘details’ of garments are characteristic of this; we use Chinese and oriental features. Also, our domestic demands are different from overseas requirements. In general, Chinese fashion at present offers less unique features in its designs.

Visit China Fashion Week online: www.fashion.org.cn