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Yang Ziming, Designer of Cabbeen and His Life

As China fashions parading down international runways, a young generation of designers is beginning to emerge in China whose members have more chances than ever to strut their stuff.

Yang Ziming, chief designer of Cabbeen, stands out among these designers. Yang, who also serves as Cabbeen’s CEO, won the “Ten Best Designers in China” award with Cabbeen winning “Best Men’s Wear Brand” during China Fashion Week 2005. He’s even brought this local men’s wear brand to the stages of New York Fashion Week in February 2007, which was a first for a Chinese mainland designer.

Who could have imagined such a thing two decades ago? Yang was an ordinary, boy who had studied boxing and had nothing to do with the fashion world. “I’m glad I have my own life designed and controlled,” he said with a smile when he reflected on his childhood.

Born in a small town named Shishi in Guangdong Province in South China, Yang, at age 6, had to sell small items on the streets with his family members, because they were poor. Thin and somewhat weak in appearance, he was often teased by his classmates, so he took up boxing after graduating from junior high school.

“Since then, I’ve learned that to avoid being beaten by others, you have strengthen yourself; you cannot depend on others.” After two years of practice, he developed a strong body and outstanding boxing abilities, but, more importantly, he refined his winning spirit.

During these years, Yang also helped at the small clothes factory the family owned. He used to watch and even give suggestions when tailors designed and cut out clothes. “My suggestions were often used and they always said I had design talent; this might have been the inspiration for me to go on the path of being a designer.”

After several visits to Hong Kong, the centre of fashion and economy in South China, Yang started Cabbeen with some friends in 1989. The brand name “Cabbeen” comes from cabbeen gun which was “the most masculine and powerful thing in the eyes of my generation.” He insists others call him chief designer instead of CEO: “The most important factor for a brand’s development is its unique design.”

And Cabbeen has found its unique design, thanks to Yang's efforts: modern, sensible, invigorated by change, free and exotic. And the style has been accepted and praised in both the local and international fashion worlds. His two awards at the 2005 China Fashion Week we hard won, but he now has his mind set on entering the international market.

“Let the world understand China’s fashion through the brand Cabbeen,” he said.

The show in New York was a successful first step.