London Fashion Week: the art, philosophy and fashion of Renli Su
- By Heiko Khoo
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E-mail China.org.cn, February 25, 2016
Renli Su is a graduate of the London College of Fashion who designs women's wear mostly made from organic materials, particularly silk, cotton, linen and wool. Her work is sold in China by outlets in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Hunan Province, as well as in various European outlets.
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Renli Su's work [Photo / China.org.cn] |
Her clothes for the Chinese market are manufactured there, but those for elsewhere are made in London. Su specializes in making small quantities of high quality designs, which include intricate detail work. At present her customer base is mainly 18-25yr olds, but she is planning to expand into a more mature market as well.
Interviewed during the 2016 London Fashion Week, Su explained that, for most of the modern era, mass manufacture of quality clothing in China was aimed at the overseas market, while high-end, quality clothes were imported.
Now, however, the Chinese internal market for such products is rapidly catching up with Western trends. Yet a crass materialism has also arisen, which she deplores. This is reflected in the desperate urge - even amongst low earners - to own something proclaiming extravagance, such as a Louis Vuitton bag, even if that consumes the equivalent of a year's income.
Evidently, the mass consumption habits of the West are being emulated in China - although such products are often considerably cheaper outside of China. Su expects that once people actually experience the dream of owning luxury elite brands, the glitter fades and a more cultivated sense of aesthetics will emerge based on a desire for uniqueness and quality.
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