Clothing: Feel the Breeze

Summer is a time of colour; clothes in blue, red, green, pink, orange or yellow brighten our days. Yet, it can be tedious and irritating when sweat-soaked clothes cling to our backs and legs. Whether touring Beijing's cultural wonders or working in an air-conditioned office, clothes made of pleasantly cool materials are indispensable.

Mary Ma, female designer and supermodel

Ma Yanli, or Mary Ma, one of China's most famous supermodels, recommends that white-collar professionals should wear casual cotton or linen clothes in summer. With her own Mary Ma brand, established in 1999, she is now a designer of high-class clothes for white-collar women and actresses.

"Suits are indispensable for women, but summer is a casual season that allows people to wear more informal clothes."

At small parties, fashionable ladies can even wear jeans topped by a delicate silk blouse.

"These high-class women are young and thoughtful. They need simplicity, fashion, personality and cosiness. They must pay much attention to different occasions and professions, but these days it's a trend that solemnity can perfectly mix with relaxation. A simple pattern, bright colours or tiny decorative gadgets on the clothes can lead to a totally different effect," Mary said while pointing to several clothes in her company's line.

As her company's executive designer, she works hard at developing Chinese brand names, but with this reference to brand names in Beijing, a sense of sadness came to her eyes.

"A lot of Chinese people are now inclined to buy brand names such as LV and Fendi. It is a real pity that we can hardly find a high-class brand name that has originated in China. Many Chinese now recognize the great potential that exists in developing original Chinese brand names, but for Chinese fashion designers, the situation is a bit difficult. They want to design high-class and distinctive clothing, but most of their customers do not accept Chinese brand names. Time, money and the concepts in people's minds are three crucial elements affecting the development of Chinese brand names. Though things are slowing developing, we never lose confidence." She told us.

She said haute couture is emerging in large cities in China, with demand stemming from actors and actresses, singers, businesspeople. Ma is now focusing more attention on the development of haute couture in Beijing.

"I hope that I can exhibit everyone's charm and personality."

Sidebar

Mary Ma

        Won first place at the China Fashion Awards in 1998 and 1999 and in the China   Top-ten Supermodel Awards

l        Lead in the 1999 China Cultural Week in Paris

l        Lead in the 2000 China Cultural Week in America

l        Set up her own brand name in 1998

l        Launched three fashion shows in 1999 and 2000 China International Fashion Week and Shanghai International Fashion Week

l        Set up Mary Ma Clothing Company in 2002

Xie Rong, female designer

Selling her own-design clothing in two stores at Shichahai's Yandai Xiejie and at the 798 Art Area (The Beauties') in Dashanzi, Xie Rong is a designer who doesn't pay much attention to fashion trends. Recently, she designed clothes for Director Wang Xiaoshuai, who won the third-place jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

"For years, I've stuck to my design principal of 'simple, casual, religious and unsymmetrical.' All the clothes I design for summer are made of cotton and linen. They allow people to feel really pleasant and comfortable. Some of my materials are imported from India, Thailand and Nepal. Then I tell workshops in Yunnan Province to dye the materials according to the colour codes I give them. Natural dying methods have been used for thousand of years there. For example, persimmon is mashed and then put into the dyestuff. Other plants are also used there." Xie said.

She said cotton, linen, silk and yarn are the most suitable clothing materials for summer. Light colours and simple patterns are essential during the season. In her eyes, tight, sexy clothes may earn admiration, but loose and stylish clothes are more comfortable and get great attention, too.

"Nowadays clothes are more than commodities…they also become artworks. We can use typical materials and colours, but we practice modern concepts and can enjoy the freedom of exploring different styles. Take my style as an instance: I don't care about showing off one's charming stature, but I am concerned about the feeling of freedom expressed by the clothes. In addition, trips to impressive places trigger my inspirations. My last trip to Rome led to my creation of clothes with a sense of Italy's ruins and sculptures. In this way, clothes are artworks and the expression of a person's character." Xie said.

She said handmade clothes with natural materials create a sense of safety and warmth.