Beijing annual fashion show kicks off (qianlong.com)

Friday, in the capital Beijing, the country's annual fashion show opened, as domestic designers showcased their latest designs for the upcoming fall and winter collections.

The 2008-09 Autumn/Winter China Trends Release was held at the 16th China International Clothing and Accessories Fair on Friday. Ten designers exhibited their works to illustrate fashion trends of the upcoming autumn and winter season, with different fashion themes and materials.

Yuan Li's "Free heart" themed design expresses the working woman's wish to re-live youth and break the shackles of reality.

The idea of "Classic" in Zhao Yukai's design originated from the images of women from the 1920s to 1950s. He uses colourful stockings and elegant styles to arouse memories of the years full of jazz and sensual dance.

The theme of Zhu Wen's design is "Sport elegance". He interlaces various textiles together and uses black as the main colour, hoping to add an elegant element into casual and sporty men's wear.

China International Clothing and Accessories Fair (CHIC) is regarded as the grand gala of China's garment industry.

It includes eight exhibition halls with a total area of 110,000 sq m. About 20 types of garments will be displayed in 10 sections, with over 1000 brands from home and abroad.