Waving the Flag
The term “Made in China” is undergoing the ultimate 21st century makeover—with a subversive twist. This rapidly changing landscape is a unique phenomenon that goes beyond the mere Summer/Winter collections; it waves the flag for the changes vibrating within China’s societyat-large today. The Olympic flag, even.
Escorted by the increasingly strong influence of a new thinking among China’s younger generations regarding individuality and the expression thereof, the fashion scene here is exploding. And for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, local designers came into the spotlight with their creations for the opening ceremony in Beijing. This edition offered an opportunity, not just to young athletes, but also to young independent Chinese designers with a taste for the global stage. And on this occasion specifically, we had two widely celebrated gems: Wang Fengchen and Chen Peng.
London-based Chinese designer Wang is famous for her futuristic modern grind. Her designs were worn by the flag bearers during the opening ceremony. The focal piece was a blue and white down puffer jacket with a mixed pattern of snow-white mountains surrounded by white and blue line drawings of Beijing landmarks.
Feng obtained her master’s in fashion menswear at the Royal College of Art, London, the UK, graduating in 2015. Describing her aesthetic as “future-modern, authentic and multidimensional,” she focuses on technical deconstruction, creating unisex clothing that is functional but at the same time conceptual and personal, drawing on her life experiences and Chinese heritage.
In one interview with CGTN, the createuse said that the Winter Olympics, including the opening ceremony, were really a “big thing internationally.” She felt proud to join such an event and believed it not just to be China rejoicing in the happening, but the whole world celebrating together.
“When I design, I always think about Chinese and Western cultures. The language is very important. Because you do deeply understand everything through it. That’s why when I make my design, I always mix things together,” she added.
She is a Chinese designer; the culture is part of her DNA. But she also appreciates her overseas acquired know-how; it is international.
Chen, then, is an artiste suprême. He also honed his studious skills in London, the UK, majoring in menswear fashion design technology, and in 2015 went on to establish his eponymous brand there.
Chen, who won the Yu Prize last year, a program that identifies and supports China’s up-and-coming fashion talent initiated by investor Wendy Yu, designed several costumes for the performances directed by the almighty visionary (aka film director) Zhang Yimou.
The initial look was for the first act: Beginning of Spring. Inspired by China’s 24 solar terms, the outfit was worn by about 400 pole lifters who waved long green glow-in-the-dark sticks, mimicking the effect of “spring buds breaking through the soil, grass growing and flowers blooming,” the designer said on WeChat, China’s all-purpose social platform.
Zhang had explained he wanted to showcase a modern Chinese fashion vibe through a simple but contemporary design concept. And this is exactly what Chen did.
He created five looks for the grand event, describing his overall body of work as simple, classic and, at the same time, reflective of the younger Chinese generations.
The designer and his team injected heavy doses of Chinese cultural background and time-honored crafts into the ensembles, like Yuxian County paper cutting created by Ren Zhiguo and Sun Qingming, famous heirs to this intangible cultural staple. Among others.
His second outfit was a hockey costume for the Display of Five Rings performance, a concoction combining hockey and multimedia art. Chen said he felt inspired by Chinese ice lantern and sculpture culture, integrated with many a hi-tech element.
Chen’s third design, for the Imagination segment, was derived from speed skating; the result was one doused in a reign of red and Chinese knot imagery, a widely known symbol of beauty in Chinese culture.
Wang and Chen put on an eye-opening celebration of passion and fashion, of Olympic inclusivity and diversity… The pioneering fashion scene in China. It is more than your mere cover shot; it’s the visualization of a social landscape.