Chinese designers emerge at New York Fashion Week

World
Europe

In the fashion industry, can China change from “made in China” to “designed in China”?

The fashionistas of the world have descended upon the streets of Manhattan to take part in New York Fashion Week and they are increasingly being exposed to the works of Chinese designers.

China and the US fashion industry have long been intertwined. For decades, many of America’s top designers have manufactured their goods in China. Now, the biannual event has become a favorite place for Chinese designers to make their mark with the hopes of breaking into the world’s biggest consumer market.

Li-Ning designers pose on the runway during 2018 New York Fashion Week at Skylight Modern on February 7, 2018. /VCG Photo

New York Fashion Week attracts more than 230,000 visitors and brings in around 900 million US dollars in revenue for the city.

Chinese designers say they feel more welcome in New York than in other fashion capitals like Paris and Milan because the city is a melting pot of cultures.

This year, the list of Chinese designers showing their fall 2018 looks is long. It includes Vivienne Hu, Taoray Wang and Snow Xue Gao.

A new collaboration between the organizers of New York Fashion Week and Tmall hopes to bring even greater awareness of China’s design talent.

A model walk at the Li-Ning Fall/Winter 2018 Collection Fashion Show. /CGTN Photo

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), has teamed up with Tmall and Suntchi, a Shanghai-based fashion management company to create the first Tmall China Day at New York Fashion Week.

“I think the perception in the United States is that China is a manufacturing country. I don’t think there is a high level of understanding of the creativity that exists there,” said CFDA president Steven Kolb.

Four Chinese brands focused mainly on menswear were chosen to be a part of the first China Day event. They included high-street label Peacebird, the works of designer Chen Peng, streetwear brand CLOT founded by Kevin Poon and Edison Chen, and sportswear giant Li-Ning.

“We really want the world to see that we are using our hearts in our design, and our innovation breakthrough brings the brand to an international stage,” said Feng Ye, general manager of e-commerce at Li-Ning.

The son of American actor Clint Eastwood was in the front row of the Li-Ning show wearing a Li-Ning hoodie.

Guests at the Li-Ning Fall/Winter 2018 Collection Fashion Show during 2018 New York Fashion Week. /VCG Photo

Capitalizing on the see-now, buy-now movement, most of the garments seen on the New York runways at China Day were available immediately on Tmall after the show.

The collaboration also seeks to help American designers grow their customer base in China, the world’s fastest growing consumer market.

In October, members of the CFDA, Robert Geller and Jason Wu staged shows in Shanghai that were live-streamed. Consumers could then pre-order the items via Tmall’s annual See-Now-Buy-Now event in time for Alibaba’s Singles Day sale.

Kolb said many US designers would like to get a better understanding of how Tmall, China’s dominant e-commerce platforms, works.

“My guess is that many designers are going to see the value of Tmall, what they do and how they can reach a Chinese consumer through Tmall, so it’s a great opportunity,” said Kolb.

This first China Day was all about men. But next September, ladies will take center stage. That’s when there will be another China Day at New York Fashion Week – this time featuring Chinese designers making women's wear – a much bigger and more high-profile market.