Diverse Expressions of "Sustainable Fashion" - Chinese Designers at Shanghai Fashion Week

On October 23rd, Shanghai Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2024 officially came to an end with the unveiling of the award-winning brands at the Shanghai Fashion Week Feast Night.

 

Unlike in March, when designers coincidentally expressed their joy and anticipation with brilliant colors. The designers, who have spent half a year settling down, no longer put subjective expression at the centre of their work. Their creations have become more practical, outlining a clearer future direction for their brands.

 

Lorenzo Hardar, founder of Los Angeles-based buyer shop H.Lorenzo, who has returned to Shanghai Fashion Week after three and a half years, describes his experience as, "I saw a lot of new designers and felt an abundance of energy input."

 

 

Sasha Jiang, the manager of THEMARKETPLACE, sensed the market acumen of Shanghai Fashion Week from the rich supporting activities. She said, "This season, it is very obvious that Shanghai Fashion Week has quickly seized the opportunity to revive the D2C consumer scene. The newly upgraded and more accessible 'Shanghai Fashion Weekend' is a very straightforward signal."

 

 

ConCall’s review from a "sustainable fashion" lens revealed a season rich in content and style.  Beyond the expected sustainable materials and manufacturing methods, designers are innovatively blending their creativity with contemporary takes on traditional culture. Moreover, they are also boldly addressing gender equality and supporting minority groups, indicating a broader, more inclusive approach to sustainable fashion.

 

 

Unconventional Expression of Chinese Elements

 

"Unconventional" is probably the most apt description of the way Chinese elements were presented at this fashion week. Spanning from ancient to modern times, this fashion week saw Chinese elements ranging from folklore to national culture and heritage crafts, all presented in uniquely varied styles.

 

"I can see the cultural confidence of Chinese designers, and many Chinese elements are being carried forward by young designers," said Ching, a buyer from a prominent Chinese retail conglomerate, describing what he heard and felt this time.

 

Unlike the fixed traditional "Chinese style", young designers ventured beyond the familiar, their creations are no longer limited to ink painting, embroidery and totems. They are exploring and researching in greater detail behind the scenes, expressing the more specific Chinese culture and traditions that appeal to them in a broader, more contemporary way.

 

fabric qorn is known for their genuine, stereotype-defying humorous take on local culture.  This season, they take people back in time to the 80s around the free-spiritedness of hippie culture and the restrained beauty of oriental culture. Their lineup featured round-sleeved Chinese jackets, sleek Zhongshan suits, childhood story inspired prints, and "shell" embroidery, artfully marrying the old with the new to tell a story of China's modern journey.

 

 

Having just completed their Spring/Summer 2024 launch at London Fashion Week, MTG returned to Shanghai with a special presentation. During the creation of this collection, they collected various cultural materials including the Baiyue culture, the Central Plains culture and the ocean culture of China, with a special focus on the Hui'an women's clothing heritage. MTG also collected their patchwork fabric from Hui'an women's home, while the key visual motif, "six-petaled flower", was created from sustainable bio-leather derived from recycled beer residue.

 

 

Designer Zhi Chen continued her unique colour clash design,  infusing the intricate craftsmanship of Nanjing's silk flowers and Qinghai's heritage arts into her designs, creating ZI II CI IEN’s signature tulip blossoms.

 

 

The theme for the 17th season of Tube Showroom was "The Origin and Journey", with Ming Ma's Suzhou gardens, Auti Seminario's elegant beauties, and Chinese dolls in the interactive exhibition, to name a few.

 

On the day of the opening, the entire space was dedicated to the possibilities of Chinese culture and creativity.

 

 

ICICLE, which took the lead in the opening debut show of Shanghai Fashion Week, has always been regarded as one of the pioneers of sustainable fashion in China. In the opening forum of M Space, Ye Shouzeng, Co-founder of ICICLE, shared his journey.

 

Regarding the relationship between sustainability, traditional culture and brand development, he concluded, "To create China's own sustainable fashion brands, we must delve into our 5,000-year history and innermost feelings, discovering points that resonate deeply with our people. It’s about respecting nature, valuing our partners, and applying traditional art and culture in design, which leads to both acclaim and significant commercial success."

 

 

 

Pure, Narratively Conveyed Female Power

 

Every new term evolves amidst diverse interpretations and analyses. "Women Power" follows this trend, often laden with leading, glowing terms that inadvertently set unseen benchmarks, introducing real-life constraints and complexities. These interpretations sometimes go off-track, sparking debates.

 

In truth, describing or celebrating female strength does not require a list of words and expressions, nor does it require "framework". A straightforward expression of one’s understanding, avoiding judgment or advice, suffices. This was exemplified at the recent Shanghai Fashion Week, where designers showcased a grounded portrayal of women's power, moving beyond gritty toughness to celebrate the inherent, diverse beauty of womanhood.

 

In his "See You Again" Spring/Summer 2024 collection, designer Haizhen Wang recalls the "Golden Era" of the 1990s, modernizing past voluminous shapes with his sharp tailoring. His designs, accentuating women’s empowerment through broad-shouldered looks, infused with layered shadows, offset placements, and laser engraving, skillfully balanced strength and delicacy, uniquely depicting Haizhen Wang’s vision of women's power.

 

 

Following the show, OUDE WAAG hosted a press preview of the "Ama" Spring/Summer 2024 collection along with accessories brand Olio E Aceto. The showcase, stripped of runway's drama, still powerfully reflected OUDE WAAG's ethos of formidable femininity.

 

 

Yin Jingwei, founder of OUDE WAAG, shared with ConCall, "Many see Oude Waag’s style as representing women's beauty through a female lens." Switching to this viewpoint isn't easy for him, a self-described "straight man" who "always ask my female colleagues what they thought, to see if there were design points that women cared about but that I had overlooked".

 

After her London show, designer Susan Fang returned to Shanghai Fashion Week with her "Ai.R-life" Spring/Summer 2024 series, her debut as an art creator, merging fashion with art installations.

 

 

Partnering with the Bloom (Shanghai Dandelion Education Development Foundation), Susan Fang engaged needy mothers and children from diverse ethnicities to craft 3,000 handmade crystal trees for the installation. 10% of the proceeds from the sale of the art installations will be donated to Bloom, while two-thirds of the proceeds from the crystal trees will be donated back to the mothers who participated in the creation, and one third will also be donated to Bloom.

 

 

Remarkably, the runway featured models of various ethnicities, who are not traditionally "standard" model size, with the spotlight on Liu Xiang, China’s world-record-holding swimmer in the women’s 50m backstroke. This choice, beyond just aligning with natural and spiritual themes, underscored Fang's message: standards in beauty and greatness are non-existent in women's narratives.

 

This season also marked a significant shift, blurring traditional divides between menswear and womenswear amidst intensifying discussions on gender equality and diversity. Gender-specific design elements are being adopted more fluidly, and the once-niche category of gender-neutral clothing is expanding.

 

Sustainable Materials Take the Stage

 

Plant-based suede, eco-friendly denim, traceable yarns, stock fabrics, innovative materials, etc. These terms, once exclusive to industry insiders, are now making their way into the broader consumer vocabulary. This trend is evident in everything from press releases to discussions in showrooms, allowing even casual visitors to engage with these materials hands-on during exhibitions.

 

The fourth edition of Fashion Futures: Innovative Conversations with Stella McCartney, which just closed on October 22nd, and the ongoing CanU exhibition are good channels for the popularisation of sustainable materials.

 

The Fashion Futures exhibition brought six Stella McCartney sustainable marketplace stalls to Shanghai, introducing six innovative materials used by the brand, including Mirum, apple leather, grape leather and banana fibre. And at the CanU exhibition, consumers were also able to see the diverse applications of sustainable materials and manufacturing methods in apparel, shoes and bags, jewellery, lifestyle and pet products.

 

 

The designers are no longer secretive about the representation of stock fabrics. Susan Fang explains that more than 90% of the fabrics used in the spring/summer 2024 collection were luxury stock fabrics from partner factories and LVMH group. "The factory we have been working with for a long time just moved, so we were lucky to get a lot of great fabrics at a good prices. This approach not only reduced prices but also improved the feel and quality of the clothing."

 

Ultrasuede®, a pioneer in mass-producing plant-based suede, has supported many young designer in many ways. This season, they provided their innovative material for designer Louis Shengtao Chen. For his Spring/Summer 2024 collection, entitled "Orgasmic", Louis incorporated these plant-based suedes in a unique style across various garments and accessories.

 

 

In a conversation with ConCall, the head of Ultrasuede® in China praised the innovative blend of Eastern and Western aesthetics among Chinese designers. He noted a growing trend in sustainability, particularly in business collaborations, and expressed excitement about the evolving role of independent Chinese designers on the global stage.

 

Buyer and sales feedback highlights a shift in sustainable fashion; while good design remains crucial, the sustainable concept is increasingly intertwined with aesthetic appeal.

 

Sasha Jiang observed a move towards sustainable fashion that doesn’t just focus on material but also on appealing, wearable design. Huang Xinyao of ENG boutique added that sustainability certainly enhances a product's appeal.

 

 

Celebrating its 21st year, Shanghai Fashion Week has been instrumental in the growth of China's fashion industry, from pioneering designers like Guo Pei to today’s globally ambitious newcomers.  Its advocacy of the concept of "sustainable fashion" has also inspiring designers to look further ahead, delving into the exciting, uncharted territories of the field.

 

The journey of "sustainable design" may be relatively new compared to supply chain sustainability, but the robust cultural heritage, comprehensive exploration of sustainability, and integration of diverse creative ideas position Chinese designers to significantly influence and transform the fashion industry with their interpretations of sustainability.