China, once dubbed as the world’s sweatshop, is now an influential fashion trendsetter.
Chinese designers want to break the stereotype that clothes from China are poor in quality and lacking in originality. They want the world to realise that they can be very creative and really know how to make high-quality production. So for instance they use such basic colors as grey, white and black as well as power tailoring to create elegant and confident looks for career women. Another stereotype is the necessity to incorporate symbols like the dragon, panda and the color red into Chinese designs. Chinese designers are instead focusing more on promoting universal values and expressing their own attitudes rather than selling Chinese culture.
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. Apart from designer brands, Chinese fabric manufacturers and garment suppliers have also become more influential internationally. Last year China exported 36 per cent of the world’s exports of textile and apparel. The country is proactively moving toward automation and smart production through technological innovation and nurturing indigenous brands to move up the value chain. The rising fashion industry is an epitome of China’s fast development over the past few decades.
