Chinese fashion struts on global stage

Designers parade their expertise and heritage to audiences in Paris, Wang Qian reports.

Fashion inspired by traditional Chinese culture is experiencing a renaissance on the global stage with designers and their collections increasingly fascinating runway audiences.

At the recently concluded Sino-French Fashion Week at the China Cultural Center in Paris, designers showed 30 outfits, jewelry and hat elements, depicting the cultural legacy of Quanzhou, a coastal city in East China's Fujian province, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.

As the highlight of the Sino-French Fashion Week, the closing show on Oct 3 was dedicated to Quanzhou, which was the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, and showcased its fusion of rich historical heritage and modern fashion through references to the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties and the maritime theme. During the two dynasties, Quanzhou was one of the largest and busiest seaports in the world.

"The event initiated a dialogue between tradition and modernity, Eastern and Western aesthetics," says designer Meng Yueming, 33, who was responsible for the outfits.

Meng adds that he hopes the event will foster cultural exchange between Quanzhou and Paris, as a symbol of the once-again flourishing friendship, which dates back centuries.

Borrowing aspects of the city's heritage, including zanhua (a floral headdress), the traditional dress of Hui'an women, local tea culture, and Dehua porcelain, Meng blended traditional and modern elements into his designs.

"Everything in Quanzhou is somehow connected with the ocean, which has inspired me in several ways," says the designer from Beijing. "It's quite different from the way I used to create. The fusion of culture is a completely different feeling."

Zhang Kaidi, the show's jewelry designer, feels the same. Drawing inspiration from marine elements, such as shells, fishes and waves, she designed a collection of bracelets, necklaces and earrings, using 3D technology.

For her, the event was a good opportunity for Chinese culture and designers to be seen on the global stage.

Describing the show as "fantastic", Isabelle Lawson, executive director of the French International Art Salon, says it was a "brilliant" idea for the designers to transform Quanzhou's landmarks and architecture into the patterns displayed on the runway.

The week was designed to deepen China-France cultural exchange and cooperation in the realm of fashion, aligning with the specific measures outlined in the joint declaration to enhance collaboration in the cultural and creative industries between China and France, according to the introduction on the official website of the China Cultural Center in Paris.

Mixing elements from centuries-old culture with a modern twist, more designers, such as Meng and Zhang, have carved themselves a niche in the fashion industry, both within China and overseas. In June, Nie Ruohan was one of the six finalists for the Andam Grand Prize at the 35th edition of the Andam Fashion Awards in Paris, an important launchpad for emerging designers. A graduate of New York's Parsons School of Design, Nie founded her eponymous New York-based label in 2020.

"Before this show, my understanding of traditional culture was superficial, but when I dug deeper, I found a trove in front of me to tap into," Meng says, adding that he feels that using Chinese elements is important for domestic designers and brands to go global.

Meng designed five outfits inspired by Dehua porcelain for the show. He blended the texture of porcelain with clothing.

Blanc de Chine is the name given to the white porcelain made in Dehua, a town in Fujian. Historically, its potters made a wide range of white porcelain and other ceramic products. In the 18th century, the popularity of Blanc de Chine inspired European potters to develop their own hard-paste white porcelain. Today, Dehua still thrives as a porcelain town, boasting both industrial success as well as artistic creativity.

"In the design of the outfits, I used ostrich feathers to embody the delicate feeling of white porcelain," Meng says, adding that the clothing's curves are inspired by porcelain vases.

Besides Blanc de Chine, Meng also drew inspiration from Quanzhou's architecture, as 22 sites around the city were included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site listing.

"I extracted their distinctive architectural silhouettes and combined them with clothing silhouettes in minimalist forms that complement architectural and floral patterns," he says.

As a result of the show, the designer, who was born in Shanxi province in 1991, has become interested in rediscovering the glamour of his own hometown's heritage buildings.

"There are many elements in these old structures, like the colors and patterns in the murals, to tap into. The temples and caves were not interesting to me as a boy, but now I can appreciate the timeless aesthetics behind them," Meng says.

Graduating from the Tiangong University in Tianjin in 2014, the fashion and apparel design major worked at a studio in Beijing and later established his own brand, Ksiezyc.

"It is a process of exploring myself, my style through my design and brand," he says, adding that he is still trying to find his own way of expressing himself. From the bold looks of his early designs, Meng has turned to a softer aesthetic that is more layered.

"Since the late 1970s, following reform and opening-up, I think that most Chinese were influenced by the Western lifestyles and development, and we were eager to learn. Now as China demonstrates the growing significance of the Chinese fashion market on a global scale, designers at home and abroad are expanding their exploration of things from Asia," Meng adds.

At the 2015 Met Gala in New York, pop star Rihanna wore a yellow gown made by designer Guo Pei, which demonstrated China's rising influence in fashion. Increasingly, international fashion houses have made use of Chinese design motifs, such as the 12 animals of the zodiac, in their clothing designs.

Meng's experience reflects the trend among many domestic designers to draw on their heritage and cultural traditions and embrace their own cultural identity.

On the runways at recent fashion weeks in Paris, Milan, New York and London, an Asian aesthetic tapping into Chinese culture and history has continued to sweep beyond borders.

New Chinese style, or newlywed , is a wave incorporating Chinese cultural symbolism into fashion design. Whether it's domestic designers interpreting traditional Chinese culture in a fashionable way, or international designers expressing a fresh take on Chinese style, the trend is a growing force on the runways.

For Meng, it is good time for Chinese designers to find their voice on the global stage, and to show how diverse and refined Chinese style can be today.

A dress with inspiration from the local architecture.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Meng (left) discusses styles with the hairdressers backstage. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A model interacts with a marionette, a noted form of folk art in Quanzhou. [Photo provided to China Daily]