by Sofia Gronvall (Sofia's Blog) & Wang Fen Yun
Google it and you will have a hard time finding what you are looking for among the mass of fashion and clothing websites.
Despite the plethora of fashion sites online these days, up-to-date information on the Spring 2009 Beijing Fashion Week, which started Thursday, is nowhere to be found. But search in Chinese characters and I'm sure you won't have a problem finding information about the hottest fashion show in Beijing.
Beijing is on the verge of becoming a new fashion metropolis, but sometimes a lack of communication still inhibits awareness of events like Fashion Week.
Miss Xu is responsible for Beijing Fashion Week's official website, spreading the word of fashion to everyone fortunate enough to know Chinese characters, which by now you will have figured out does not include me.
"Our information is the latest from all events going on during these weeks. Most media do not have admittance to the shows so they turn to our website for news."
"The government wants to transform the capital into the new fashion centre of the world and is investing money to make it happen. I have great confidence that they will succeed."
"Being the only English-speaking foreigner present at Fashion Week, I'm about to burst from frustration. At the same time, I'm quite amused by the thought of Beijing reaching out internationally without an English website."
"You know, the Chinese fashion industry is constantly developing and we hope to get an English website as soon as possible. For the time being, we already have some news about fashion week in both Chinese and English. In order to build up an English version of the website we need more money, and we will look for more sponsors among famous labels to raise it. We need people to translate the news as well as do reports on a regular basis, but that's something we can't afford right now. I'm sure that in the future we will have an international website, since Beijing has become such a fashion metropolis."
Beijing Fashion Week is not a new event, and by now designers and organizers are experienced in putting on the show.
"Fashion week is held twice a year to show the trends of spring and fall. In March we show more men's clothing and feature trends for the fall. Usually the number of brands ends up being less than in November, when we show the upcoming trends for the spring."
Fewer foreign brands seem to be at the show this year, likely because the financial crisis has taken its toll on the fashion industry.
Miss Xu offers another explanation. "For one thing, we always have fewer foreign brands in the spring show. Secondly, foreign brands would still be able to take part in the show if they reduced their costs."
Making Beijing into a successful place for young designers to develop their talents seems to have been a goal several years in the making.
"Aside from displaying the upcoming fall trends, we also have a competition where we have invited four fashion and design universities to create swimwear. Students have the chance to win the Han Bo Award, which is the most prestigious prize young designers can be awarded in China.
"It was launched by the Chinese Fashion Designers Association 13 years ago, so it's well-known in the fashion industry."
"The theme of this year's fashion week is based on the Han Bo Award. Designers will be given different areas, such as the Olympics, plants in spring, etc."
But Miss Xu states clearly that Beijing's fashion week is very different from its counterparts in New York and Europe.
"In Beijing, the show covers many different fields. For example, we present cell phone brands as well as laptops."
Some things will never change.
"You can only attend the show by invitation. Journalists make up a big part of the visitors but there will also be professors in the clothing field and celebrities that will try on some of the brands and model for photo shoots."
When Miss Xu lines up the most successful and popular brands right now, I realize that China still has a long way to go before becoming the leading fashion metropolis:
"I would say Luo Zheng, Zhang Zhao Da and Yang Zi Ming, among many other talented designers, are the ones you definitely should keep your eye on."
Better start googling.
Related: Young Talent Shines at China Fashion Week
