fashionchina

Despite the growing number of talented Chinese fashion designers making their mark on the international fashion scene, the notion of ‘Made in China’ still holds a mainly negative connotation and it’s often associated with low- end production techniques, cheap fabrics and undistinguished designs. Fashion China, a new publication by fashion curator Gemma A. Williams, aims at changing our outdated view on the matter, presenting a selection of 41 successful and inspiring contemporary Chinese fashion designers and giving an insightful overview on the Chinese fashion industry. Each designer is introduced to the reader through a personal profile accompanied by an in-depth interview with the author and a series of images of his or her work, making Fashion China an accessible and unique introductory guide to Chinese fashion today.

Elsewhere caught up with Gemma Williams to learn more about her experience in writing the book and her outlook on this vibrant industry.

What made you decide to write a book on Chinese fashion?

From a fashion perspective, the Mainland of China is virtually unknown to the Western world, so it was really exciting to research and unpick this industry. There are exceptional designers working in China ranging from the newest generation of independent designers who have mostly studied in Europe to the earlier couturiers, this is a fascinating landscape, which is still maturing and developing. My main focus as a fashion curator is to promote emerging designers, so it was of particular interest to me to look at that dynamic industry, in order to observe it and record changes first hand.

What is your opinion on the contemporary fashion scene in China and how would you describe it?

The fashion scene in China is incredibly varied and layered, and actually very different to other systems, particularly those in Europe. It is such a vast country with a complex history, reflected in the fashion industry, in which there are many and every possible eco systems. It is also a system in which many consumers are understanding and engaging with fashion on various levels. The majority still choose non-indigenous high-end brands, often sourced outside of the mainland, while the existing brands that opened in the 90s or early 2000s have a fairly dedicated customer base. This creates a challenging production and manufacturing situation for the young designers who are currently setting up businesses, however it is fair to say that fashion for the emerging brands is difficult worldwide.

For Fashion China you selected 41 designers with the help of Liu Wen, Lucia Liu and Huang Huang. Which were the main criteria you took into consideration?

Again due to the varied nature of the industry it was essential that the book featured a wide variety of brands and designers which represented all forms of the industry. As this is the first book of its kind, this can be viewed as the starting point from which to quantify it. Many of the brands were selected due to a combination of criteria such as unique design viewpoints and uses of materials, historical relevance and pioneering positions, projected longevity, retail impact and relevance to the consumer.

Could you name three designers among the ones featured in Fashion China that you consider to be more ground breaking at the moment?

It is so difficult to select particular designers as there are many unique talents operating from and within China but if pressed I would say that Xiao Li is an incredible talent, with very strong signatures and an exceptional understanding of fabrication. Yirantian Guo is also operating her brand in a very clever way while Sankuanz is a brand which is fresh and vibrant, yet absolutely rooted in Chinese culture and history.

What is the most unusual or unexpected thing you discovered during your research?

Just how complex the industry is, as well as challenging for emerging brands. However the exciting part is being there to watch and observe how it unfolds, I think we will have a very interesting situation in China even in the next 5 years.

What do you aim for with this book? What would you like people to take from it?

My primary aim is to direct attention to fashion designers who I feel have something interesting to communicate. I want the wider industry to know about these brands, who would have been previously unknown to them. There is also no easy way to navigate the internet to find out about these brands so compiling them in one place means that this publication can be the go to place for Chinese fashion. In my panel I referenced the fashion infrastructure of styling and photography so I now hope that I can build on this publication to compile a more detailed critique of all sectors of the fashion system, not only the designers.