Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

How fashion went from ‘Made in China’ to ‘Designed in China’

China was once called the world’s sweatshop, but these days Chinese designers are praised for originality and craftsmanship. At New York Fashion Week, where nearly one third of the designers were Chinese, we talk to three up-and-coming designers.

While Made in China tags on clothing are increasingly being replaced by Made in Vietnam and Made in Bangladesh ones, the world’s catwalks are seeing clothes that are not just made, but also designed in China.

China, a large economy once dubbed the world’s sweatshop, has turned into a global fashion trendsetter, standing for prestige, craftsmanship and beauty.

This was particularly evident at the recently concluded New York Fashion Week (NYFW), where about one third of the designers on the official schedule were ethnic Chinese.

Chinese designer Wang Tao sees it as her duty to break the stereotype that clothes from China are poor in quality and lacking in originality.

A regular on the NYFW schedule, she had just presented her namesake brand Taoray Wang ’s latest collection.

“By bringing Taoray Wang to New York, I want the world to realise that we can be very creative and we really know how to make high-quality products,” said Wang, who pays particular attention to tailoring and fabric selection.

The designer is known for using such basic colours as grey, white and black and power tailoring to create elegant and confident looks for career women.

Born in southwest China’s city of Chengdu, Li Yalan is one of about a dozen young Chinese designers who have sprung up in the global fashion arena in recent years.

She debuted her brand Blancore in New York with 40 looks that incorporated geometric cuts and subtle colour palettes with special detailing on the neck and waistline to imitate different forms of water such as frost, mist and cloud.

Li, in her early 20s, said water is the source of all things and infuses everything with vitality, representing limitless possibility everywhere.

Wang encourages her customers to express themselves boldly. “People think smart women can’t be too pretty. That’s wrong. I want to change that,” said Wang, who has sought ways to add a feminine touch to the otherwise rather dull collections of professional looks for career women.

Wang’s brand rose to fame in 2017 after US President Donald Trump’s younger daughter Tiffany Trump wore a white double-breasted coat Wang designed to her father's inauguration. She regularly attends Wang’s shows and has worn Taoray Wang garments on many important occasions.

Blancore opened its first franchise store in Chengdu this year and has signed deals with more than 30 showrooms worldwide. The company is now gearing up to opening its first multipurpose showroom in Lower Manhattan.

To date, the two-year-old brand’s monthly sales revenue has reached US$100,000.

The influence of Chinese fashion has fast expanded, reaching larger audiences around the globe as home-grown designers, spending power and fashion aesthetics keep growing, said Chen Xuzhi, who created the label XU ZHI in 2015.

His brand, featuring fresh colours and delicate fabrics to illustrate a poetic youth, joined two other Chinese brands in presenting their latest collection at the fourth China Day event at NYFW.

China Day, established last year, aims to showcase the works of outstanding Chinese designers and brands, helping them shine on the world stage and enter the US market.

The event paid a tribute to the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the more than four decades of China’s reform and opening up, during which the country’s fashion industry has grown rapidly.

Chinese fabric manufacturers and garment suppliers have also become more influential internationally.

Last year China processed 54.6 million tonnes of fibres, accounting for half of the world total, and exporting US$276.73 billion in textiles and apparel, or 36 per cent of the world total, according to the China National Textile and Apparel Council.

Nonetheless, Chinese companies want more.

“They are proactively moving toward automation and smart production through technological innovation, and nurturing indigenous brands to move up the value chain,” said Xu Yingxin, the council’s vice-president.

At an ongoing international fair of the clothing and textile industry in Paris, more than 1,100 exhibitors from China brought a rich variety of products ranging from basics to creative high-end fabrics to their partners and customers from around the world.

The rising fashion industry reflects China’s fast development over the past few decades.

“Economic development in China has greatly improved the people’s living standards,” Wang said. “Now that people are focused on pursuing quality of life, fashion cannot be ignored.”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
×