China Graduate Fashion Week: Runway boost

It is fast becoming a platform for graduates from fashion institutes to show off their skills and potentially give their nascent careers a big boost.

For most participating designers, China Graduate Fashion Week is no ordinary runway show.

And to make a big impression, the best way is to get an early start, cctv.com reported.

"It usually takes six months for the students to get ready - from market research, to drafting and revising with the teachers.

"They also have to choose the best fabrics for their creations," said teacher Che Weidong at the Department for Art and Design, Beijing Union University.

With increasing influence, this year's event has involved fashionistas from the acknowledged world capital of haute couture.

Mr Heiko M. Burge, an artistic director from Esmod, Beijing, said he is impressed by local talents.

He said: "I have seen amazing things, I really have. I think that there are so many great talents. I think we have now established a certain international level.

"And I believe that international fashion is available not only in Paris, Tokyo, Milan and New York but also in China, and especially here in Beijing."

Esmod, founded in 1841, is the first fashion school established in France.

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At this year's fashion fiesta, some students were tasked with reviving traditional elements and mixing them with modern design concepts.

The students updated traditional fashions with bold cuts by using modern printing and weaving techniques.

Some students were inspired by the terminus of the Silk Road. The city of Xi'an was the centre of ancient Chinese fashions about 2,000 years ago.

Graduates from Beijing's polytechnic incorporated some of the city's scenic spots in their designs, including the terracotta warriors and the giant wild goose pagoda.

The fashion week ended on Monday.

This article was published on May 1 in The New Paper.

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