Creative China

All of the experts agree, in 2015 China will be home to the largest luxury market in the world. The creme de la creme of French Fashion, LVMH, PPR, Chanel, Hermès already earn top dollar there. Now instead of fractious infighting the brands face a new challenge: China, the country of production is quickly becoming the country of creation.
Christine Zhao specializes in sino-western commercial relations. Giving credibility to chinese designs is no simply task. An international angle is needed first. The Jefen brand was the first to show in Paris in 2006 and since then it’s visibility in China has flourished, opening shop after shop.
If Jefen promotes traditional embroidery from the ethnic Miao minority from the south-west of China, his counterpart Liu Fang chose an avant-guard way to turn down cashmere knitting. She is artistic director of the multibillion dollar chinese conglomerate Paluopo.
Bridging the divide by shaping the taste of chinese consumers so they’ll accept up-and-coming brands. Liu Fang creates models in sculptural form, much in the same creative vein of Alexander McQueen, but with a hint of Taoism.
A mountain eroded by millions of drops of water? Here’s to China’s up-and-coming brands.