Chinese fashion designers have continued to make strides on international stages this year. During the upcoming Spring/Summer 2018 Fashion Week in Milan, Paris, London and New York, according to the official calendar, 30 designers who are either Chinese or have a connection to China will debut their latest collections at one of the major shows.
That's a bigger number than last season. In February this year, shows in Milan, Paris, London, and New York for the Fall/Winter 2017 collections saw 26 Chinese designers presenting shows around the world demonstrating that the global fashion world has become increasingly receptive to Chinese designers and recognizes their significance to the industry.
New York has once again attracted the highest number of talent from China, with 16 designers and their brands participating this September. For instance, renowned haute couture designer Lanyu will unveil her new ready-to-wear collection during the show. Nicole Zhao, the CEO of Lanyu's namesake brand Lan Yu told us in an interview earlier this year that the newly added ready-to-wear production line was a strategic move for the brand in its plans for further global expansion.
The New York-based Hong Kong designer Vivienne Tam is another big name who has consistently attended New York Fashion Week. In an interview with Jing Daily earlier this year, Tam told us that New York was quite a special place for her as it was where she gained her early fame. She will host most of her fashion shows in the city in the near future.
We also expect to hear more buzz around her recent partnership with Chinese company Ellassay, the company that just acquired the rights to the Vivienne Tam brand in China.
The iconic American designer Anna Sui, who had a career retrospective open at London’s Fashion & Textile Museum in May, has been a mainstay at New York Fashion Week since her first runway show there in 1991. Though she was born in Detroit, Michigan, she makes this list because of her Chinese heritage.
Taoray Wang, whose designs have been a favorite of the American first daughter Tiffany Trump, is also coming back to New York Fashion Week again. During the Autumn/Winter 2017 Fashion Show in February this year, Tiffany Trump showed her support for Taoray Wang by attending the show with her mother Marla Maples.
Laurence and Chico, Vivienne Hu, Calvin Luo, and Chocheng are among the other Chinese fashion designers who will appear at New York Fashion Week.
Six designers from China, namely Xiao Li, Haizhen Wang, Ryan Lo, Steven Tai, Huishan Zhang and Jamie Wei Huang, will have runway shows at London Fashion Week. Internationally renowned Uma Wang, Masha Ma and Shiatzy Chen along with another emerging talent, Yang Li, will be in Paris this year.
Chinese fashion designers Angel Chen and Ricostru , sponsored by National Chamber of Italian Fashion, will attend Milan Fashion Week. The brand Tommy Zhong, established by two emerging fashion talents Zhong Jiaqi and Jenny Nelson, will also debut its collection in Milan.