C&A's new collection

Economical but trendy European fashion brand C&A opened its 11th retail store in Glory Mall, in downtown Beijing, with chief designer Gil Aimbez showing city folk how to live in a metropolis with style.

Aimbez showed up in a black-and-white suit at the opening party. His dotted hat and swank shoes pronounced his natty tastes as he stood in the middle of the crowd, showing Beijing's fashion-conscious bunch how to dress in vogue. Four models were invited to go on stage and Aimbez jazzed up the male model with a gray-and-white striped scarf, while reserving a loose blouse and a shining belt for the woman, and sports jackets for the kids.

The designer showed a clear preference for black and white. "Black and white, Scottish Highlands and military are our three main themes for the autumn and winter 09-10 season. This season is all about layering," he says in an e-mail interview with China Daily.

But how does one squeeze a stunning look out of B&W? "Distressed jeans can be combined with a boyfriend blazer, soft viscose dresses can be worn with biker jackets and all-over printed chiffon tunics combined with leggings and soft scarves," Aimbez explains.

He points out that for B&W mania, you need fabric mixes, silk chiffons and textured flat knits.

Key elements for the Scottish Highlands theme include checks, floral prints, argyles and lace. A military look calls for stripes, studs, foil prints, jersey blazers and luxury yarns.

Aimbez has also given a special "Clockhouse Boy" look to the brand. "Campus sportswear continues to be an important theme. Baseball jackets are must-have items for the campus fashion look," he says. Multicolored stripes are another important design element for the A/W Clockhouse Boy's collection. Rolled up pant cuffs and two-in-one tees complete the look.

Street fashions, which are sweeping China, are also fast catching on in the fashion industry. Brands such as C&A, H&M, Mango and Uniqlo are much sought after by young urbanites thanks to their affordable and smart wear.

"The purpose of 'Fast Fashion' is to provide fashionable young adults with affordable clothing at the right time and price," the designer says.

He says its prices are well positioned to meet the needs of China's rising urban middle class.

Aimbez is a veteran designer and fashion consultant, and has worked in Anne Klein in New York, C&A Brazil, C&A Mexico and C&A India. Now in China, he says there are noticeable differences in the fashion tastes of Chinese consumers.

"They are interested in learning how to mix and match, and acquire the newest trends and how to wear them to create their own unique style," he says.

He adds that while Westerners may wear clothing in only one color and without too many embellishments, Chinese consumers like touches of embroidery in their designs.

While some believe China is a big factory for fashion products, Aimbez sees it as a place for ideas and creations. The brand has an international design team that collects the latest trends from all over the world, especially for the China market. The team will translate them into a specific collection for C&A China.

(China Daily September 18, 2009)