See 4 Shanghai Fashion Week Standouts
Shanghai Fashion Week's Spring/Summer 2013 shows concluded today after seven days of glamorous runway shows and backstage antics. Local designers paraded their designs alongside international fashion teams with the common goal of achieving brand recognition in China. Many fashion styles were represented, but those with a pulse towards modern trends with an edge quickly broke from the pack. Here are four of SFW's standout fashion brands.
1. If Blue: If Blue was “born” in 2011 as the brainchild of Shanghai Junye Fashion, a talented team of seasoned fashion professionals. The brand celebrates stylishly fearless women through their creatively unconventional designs.
The Spring/Summer 2013 collection featured a mix of soft fabrics with an unexpected touch of urban punk; torn leather, metal rivets and strategically-placed cut-outs were the highlight of their free-spirited runway show. Encouraged by positive reception the brand has generated so far, If Blue opened its first flagship store at the trendy fashion “super store” Xintiandi Style last month.
2. Content: Utilizing an impressive background in architecture to her full advantage, designer Liao Xiaoling founded the fashion brand Content in 2008. The name aptly describes the designs; modern and expressive as well as visually stimulating. The concept behind Content’s latest creations is based on the designer’s opinion that clothing can be easily compared to media; both offer a vessel for unhinged expression. The Spring/Summer line is called "Transparent Illusion" and features the use of flower and character motifs along with contrasting colors on a variety of uniquely shaped garments. Swarovski crystals add an unexpected dimension to a few key designs.
3. Cheap Monday: Swedish brand Cheap Monday, best known for their snug fitting jeans, presented their latest spring/summer collection for the very first time in mainland China. The designs were inspired by aliens (the "outer space" variety) due to their androgynous appearance. Colors included a mix of soft pastels, bright primes plus touches of black and white. Fabrics were as unusual as the inspiration; everything from knits and denim to sheer to woven net. Definitely not newbies to the fashion arena, Cheap Monday is stocked in nearly 2000 stores worldwide.
4. Mass Concrete:
Chinese fashion designer Chuck Cheung dreamed of designing his own collection ever since he took an inspirational trip to Paris in 2007. Just a year later, he opened his own fashion studio in Shanghai and promptly immersed himself in developing his craft. The brand name Mass Concrete was inspired by New York City; urban and outstanding. The new collection is called "Maze" and represents design as an never-ending puzzle with no obvious exit — the only way out is by becoming more confident and resilient. Featuring dark solids, metallic hues and bold stripes, confidence is essential when wearing these designs.
