While foreign designers were largely absent from the stage during this year's edition of China Fashion Week, the big story was the progress of Chinese designer brands.

Some 40 veteran fashion designers and 150 new designers showcased their works. Many of them opted to focus on their own brands rather than their designs for commercial clothing groups, as happened in the past.

For instance, there was Ma Yanli's Maryma haute couture series; Zou You's "This is You Clothing" collection; Ding Yong's "Donoratico" menswear; and Liang Zi's "Tangy" collection.

All the brands had the personal styles of their designers. For example, Ding was formerly a painter and his "Donoratico" collection had an artistic touch; Tangy embraced a natural and self-respecting lifestyle; Liang conveyed her idea of oriental beauty by using precious gambiered Guandong silk and fusing international fashion elements.

"It is the growing need for original designs that has helped local designer brands boom," said Wang Qing, president of the China Fashion Association. The huge potential of the Chinese market has also attracted international fashion masters to take a slice of the action.

Gilles Dufour, the Chanel art director who has worked with Karl Lagerfeld for the past 20 years, now works with Erdos, the domestic cashmere brand, on its womenswear collections for Chinese consumers.

Dufour is confident that domestic designer brands will experience fast growth and enjoy long-term success.

Jean-Pierre Mocho, head of the French Ready-to-Wear Federation, said Chinese designers should be in no hurry to earn recognition in the West because "their land has the greatest market potential and is now becoming a haven for designer brands".

Although local designer brands have just begun to flourish, Wang Qing said such brands have unique advantages to win the hearts of consumers.

"This is because our designers have a deep understanding of local customers and share the same aesthetic ideas," Wang said.

These talented local designers are also getting strong support from the government and leading fashion industry groups.

The main task of China Fashion Week over the next 10 years is focusing on supporting domestic original designs and talents.

It will reserve 40 percent of shows for young and promising domestic designers, another 40 per cent for established local brands and just 20 per cent for international brands.

Organizing high-level design competitions is another way of helping local talent blossom.

(China Daily November 12, 2008)