By Elsbeth van Paridon

 

 

                        Top 10 China Fashion Moments 2012

 

Intro: With 2012 well behind us, China.org.cn now takes a look at 10 of last year's best China fashion moments.

 

Tweet: Check out China’s 10 most fashionable moments of 2012

 

 

1.     Guo Pei crowned for National Costume

 

Internationally renowned fashion designer Guo Pei added a traditional Chinese spark to 2012 Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas. Copyright@Beautypageantnews.com

During the Miss Universe 2012 finale held on December 19 in Las Vegas, 22-year-old Miss China Xu Jidan, from Jilin Province, may not have taken home the crown for most beautiful woman on the planet, but she did take home the pageant’s award for Best National Costume. Designer of the piece, inspired by blue and white porcelain, Guo Pei managed to channel China’s traditional culture through her creation. Popular Chinese American TV host, producer and entrepreneur Yue-Sai Kan, nicknamed by Time magazine “Queen of the Middle Kingdom,” later said, "I think it’s the most beautiful costume, because it really represents our culture. People always ask me what do you tell the girl who’s going to compete for China. This is an international competition. She represents China."

 

 

2. Chinese designers make a global splash

 

Wang Yutao takes on Berlinwith men’s and women’s collections. Copyright@Xinhuanet.com

 

One-of-a-kind, understatement of 2012 methinks, Yang Du designs for Spring/Summer 2013. I’ll admit they’re out there… WAY out there. Copyright@British Fashion Council

 

Chinese designers have been making a splash across every pond this year. From Xie Feng for Jefen and Liu Fang in September’s Paris Fashion Week, to anime-listic Yang Du and Huishan Zhang in London earlier this year, global fashion editors were impressed with the fresh winds of creativity blowing through the backstage (sometimes admittedly somewhat wacky or way out there) collections. Uma Wang, Liang Zi, Bao Bao Wan, all hear the increasingly louder call of international catwalks. Another newcomer, Wang Yutao, became the first Chinese designer ever to show at Berlin fashion Week last March. As Giorgio Armani, who I -- together with many others I presume -- spotted sanbu-ing (散步) around Houhai lake earlier this year, told Luxx magazine: “I am sure Mainland China will produce a designer who shows in London, Paris and Milan. I'm just not sure when." The aforementioned might just be well on their way. Let’s wait and see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Vogue China splashes out

 

Vogue China’s tribute: The 120^th anniversary cover. Copyright@thefashionspot.com

Trendiest guest list of the year: Vogue China celebrates turning 7. Taipei-born Jason Wu and classic supermodel Carolyn Murphy, who opened his most recent NY Fashion Week show, attend the lavishness. Copyright@Bureaubetak.com

 

Vogue (U.S.) magazine, published by global powerhouse Conde-Nast Publishing, celebrated its 120^th anniversary in 2012. From a publication aimed at instructing the New York or Bostonian socialite how to dress for a jolly game of tennis and iced tea, to the one-and-only Fashion Bible featuring groundbreaking spreads, turning models into supermodels a-la-carte, making or breaking any given designer: This is the stuff fashion tales are made of. Vogue China, of which 51% is owned by China International Publishing Group’s China Pictorial magazine, took the opportunity to come out with an honorary tribute to its mothership, in the form of a special edition that runs through the magazine’s 120-year-long history: From 1920s flapper dress to a Von Fuerstenberg wrap dress. But the Chinese publication had another reason for celebration: Its very own seven-year anniversary. With an ever-increasing fashion curious and conscious audience across Chinese mainland, the magazine has surely only just begun.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Wong wins Audi Young Designer award 2012

 

Above: Wong and model walk it during his minimalist show in Singapore. Copyright@Jingdaily.com

Below: Yep. I definitely get a CK vibe there.( May of course just be me.) Copyright@Jingdaily.com

 

Last year Shanghai-based designer Uma Wang picked up an Audi award, but this year it was Roderic Wong who received the Audi Young Designer Award in May of 2012 (in Singapore by the way). Each year, Audi presents the award to a designer whose creations “embody the Audi spirit of innovation, technology and progression.” Wong came up with his collection in less than a month, or so rumor has it, sticking to minimalist design, clean lines and his self-developed (yes, indeed) fabric. In addition to impressing the Audi-based judges, David Wang, VP of the Singapore Textile & Fashion Federation, told Jingdaily.com that Wong’s collection “exuded sophistication and looked international.” Point taken, it does have somewhat of a 1990s CK vibe. Let’s see how he uses his SGD $10,000 (roughly US$8,000) in cash prize money for his next collection. (If he can find the time for his own design; his other prizes include an internship with fashion retailer FC Benjamin, among other things.)

 

5. Chan, Chen & Chen walk the power walk

 

WW Chan tailoring shop on Hong Kong’s Nathan Road. And guys, please don’t go cheap-skate on a suit… It’s your armor. (and yes, we women love our men wearing suits. Especially 3-piece ones.) Copyright@Gentlemansgazette.com

 

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most business savvy of them all? (Of the Chinese that is.) Behind every great designer, at least when starting out that is, you will find one or more people with a great deal of cold hard cash; ‘tis a multi-billion dollar industry after all and perhaps the only one not suffering (too severely) from the latest stock descents-the word “cutback” has a different meaning in fashion. In November 2012, Forbes China came out with its list of the “25 most influential Chinese in global fashion [business].” Number one is Hong Kong-based Peter Chan, with his namesake tailoring company opened by his father in 1941 in Shanghai, moving to Hong Kong in 1948. Eddie Chen, who leads the popular Taiwanese shoe chain Daphne(not my kind of “high” heels, but at least-shall I say-“off” the ground), was granted a very respectable number two slot. At three we find Franz Chen from Taipei who owns the Franz Collection, strangely enough comprising of porcelain tableware and vases. (Hm, well, it IS design I suppose...)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. And Wu talks the creative talk

 

 

 

Jason Wu’s “kinky” Spring/Summer 2013 Collection in New York last September. Copyright@Fabsugar.com

 

On the creative side of the pallet, we find Taipei-born and currently Manhattan-based Jason Wu standing at number 24 in the 2012 top 100 most influential fashion designers in the world, according to Fashionschools.org, making him the highest-ranking Chinese designer (I’m treading on thin ice here, I know). His latest S/S2013 collection portrayed different visions of women as seen through the lense of legendary Helmut Newton and Lilian Bassman. From a black ‘n white starting point, Wu whipped things up through the fabrics he used (lace and leather) and the ever-saucier concept of underwear as outerwear (many have (blindfolded) gone down that road before, sometimes leading them into the Red Light District, compromising the spectator’s vision as did a certain “pockets-and -sleeves-full-of-white-posies” Temperley dress last summer- frockin’ horrific.). The result was a parade of feminine confidence and class, albeit with a kinky scratch, that was as easy on the eye as was Wu’s navy lace design on Diane Kruger this November.

Good girls go to heaven, Wu girls go everywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Beijing Fashion Week graduates

 

Photos by Chen Jianli for Xinhua

Beijing Fashion Week October 2012: And the award goes to… everyone but Hu Sheguang as I mentioned several weeks ago.

 

In March and October of this year, China’s design world tried to step it up a notch when the bi-annual fashion week descended on Beijing (and Shanghai of course, as seen at number 8) once again. Having written before that there is still room for improvement-it will surely 慢慢来 (take some time), or at least Armani seems to agree with this --I did find it especially fun to watch what the newcomers-on-the-block had to offer during the ESMOD Graduate Collection at China Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2013. ESMOD (l'Ecole Supérieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode) is the mother of all fashion schools and was established in 1841 in, where else alors, Paris. ESMOD Beijing was founded in 2004 and is the only ESMOD-authorized school in the Middle Kingdom. Another good moment was the China Fashion Designer Top Award Winners Collection, as seen in the photos above by Xinhua’s Chen Jianli. Though the execution of the garments sometimes leaves something to be desired, the show-factor is most certainly switched on. And as Freddie said: The show must go on.

 

 

  

 

At the risk of generalizing, which I’m going to do anyway: I think graduate collections are usually a bit ehm... quirky… Though I do like the exaggerated ruffled-like balloon-sleeves shown here. These designs do however capture that budding designer spirit...of courage and determination (props where due). Copyright@ Organizing Committee of China Fashion Week

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Shanghai’s quest for sustainable design

 

Gong Jia Qi, winner of Shanghai Fashion Week’s Ecodesign Award 2012. Copyright@Ecouterre.com

 

Sustainable fashion, or eco-fashion, has been the fashionable mot du jour for several seasons now. As is the case with larger sustainable design, the goal is to create a product with consideration for the ecological and social impact it will have. In terms of fashion, that basically entails having a garment last for multiple seasons instead of just one week. Hong Kong-based NGO Redress, organizer of the Ecochic Design Award Competition, created the contest’s first Chinese mainland installment in October at Shanghai Fashion Week. During a grand finale which saw 10 designers vying for a shot at global publicity, the prize was awarded to designer Gong Jia Qi. As far as her collection goes, I’ll just say: Not everybody necessarily likes broccoli, but it’s always just a matter of time before something turns from catwalk special to ubiquitous dinner found everywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Fan’s fashionable fans

 

Above: Fan Bingbing takes on Paris (Fashion Week). Copyright@Zimbio.com

Bottom left: Fan in the dragon-dress at Cannes 2010. In ye times, only the Chinese Emperor was allowed to have dragon-embroidery on his garments.Copyright@Harpersbazaar.com

Bottom right: This Tadashi Shoji design, which Fan pulls off with catwalk allure, is so exquisite I could not NOT put it up here. Copyright@Iluxurystyle.com

 

China’s superstars are getting more and more involved in the fashion industry, be it wearing a certain designer’s dress on the red carpet, or publicly endorsing a brand through advertising or merely attending any presentations. Take the example of Fan Bingbing. The Chinese starlet has in recent years become the exotic Asian favorite within the Western fashion industries, inviting her to appear at the artier Berlin Film Festival, glammed up Cannes Film Festival (where she now attends as the Asian L’Oreal ambassador),…. The 31-year-old however always manages to incorporate her own heritage into her get-ups, be it through a Chinese hairdo for one evening, glamming it up Shanghai Triad style, or by opting for a dragon-embroidery decorated gown (she made quite the memorable appearance in Cannes 2010). In the first half of 2012, we spotted Fan sitting front row at the Versace show, amongst many other shows, during Paris Fashion Week. Socializing away with former 007, one of my favorite Bonds, Pierce Brosnan, and supermodel/ actress Mila Jovovich, Fan stood out in her shiny metallic-palette adorned mini dress. (Marilyn sang it 50 years ago, “Diamonds (=shiny) are a girl’s best friend.”) In 2012, she was spotted in designs by Elie Saab, Giorgio Armani, Valentino, Tadashi Shoji, and many others, earning her the title of Best Dressed International Star of 2012.

 

 

 

10.  Liu is still standing tall

 

Liu Wen on the runway during the opening segment of the November 2012 Victoria show. Copyright@Victoria’s Secret

 

The most-in-demand Chinese (or Asian for that matter) model of 2012 was, once again, who other than Liu Wen (刘雯). Born in 1988, in Yongzhou of Hunan Province, Liu took up modeling in 2005 after entering the New Silk Road World Model Contest. Soon, she became one of the leaders ushering the newly established Chinese supermodel pack, including Emma Pei and Du Juan, into global fashion headlines and becoming the darlings of every major fashion week. In 2009 Liu made history -- I’m phrasing this in a relatively dramatic way, granted-- by becoming the first ever Victoria’s Secret Angel of Chinese descent. And yes, when talking about the biggest and most-watched fashion show on earth, one could say that is a rather big deal. As of August 2012, Liu ranks number five on the Top 50 Women Models List assembled by Models.com, making her once more the top-ranking supermodel of Asian descent (and probably the highest-paid Asian model at that). In my eyes that qualifies her as a 2012 China fashion moment.