CHINA GRADUATE FASHION WEEK – APRIL 24-28 2013
The rehearsal of the finalists from all the CHINA GRADUATE FASHION WEEK
360 Fashion Network was very proud to be the first and only international fashion organization to cover all aspects of the China Graduate Fashion Week!
As a guest of 360 Fashion Network I got to cover the whole of the Fashion Week and take pictures from all sides of this amazing event. I published some of it in a French newspaper Le Monde but of course, we will be publishing more exclusive pictures all week on this site with the names and schools of the designers.
What an extraordinary week it was for Fashion!
From the front rows to backstage, from the visitors to the designers, the teachers and the organizers I met them all this week and I want to say one thing:
Paris – London – New York – Milan, Sydney, Barcelona, they all need to take example on China. Nowhere else in the world are the Fashion Students presented better and in a more professional environment than in Beijing!
中国大学生时装周日程表 (China Graduate Fashion Week) was amazing!
- 孙_鑫 – The model in a design from a Donghua student
On Wednesday 24th of April, in Beijing’s 751 D-Park, a BIG Fashion Week started and it was all about the FASHION UNIVERSITIES and it was great!
Fashion graduates from all over China descended on Beijing D-Park in 751, the heart of Beijing Fashion Scene, to present their graduation shows. It started Wednesday where as a collaborator of 360 Fashion Network I first saw the schools of Donghua and Hangzhou.

is 杨伯羡(Yang Bo Xian), selected as the best student from the Soochow University presents her work before the final catwalk. It is inspired by the work of the Ming Dynasty artists. She managed to make that ancient art into empowering clothes for modern women in the most elegant jade silks and cashmere.
Their reputation is great in China and we could feel the pride of the students. They were right, as the shows, their talents and the work were truly impressive.
The first thing that truly impressed me, as a veteran of many fashion weeks from London, New York or Paris was how very well organized the whole thing was. Security was tight but polite, efficient but not rude (how rare in a fashion week), students were prepared and all the shows started exactly on time. But the real surprise was how extraordinary the level of the designers was.
Fresh ideas, concepts, incredible techniques, the material used, the styling was not always impeccable but most of the schools were truly inspiring!
No crazy scenes, the public was patiently waiting to cheer on the designers and the schools.
We interviewed many designers from some of the schools like CAFA or Donghua and everywhere we saw some truly fresh ideas and great craftmanship. Thursday it was Tianjin, Dianli and Hebei. There are so many more that I skipped a few but did not miss the famous CAFA (China Academy of Fine Arts), the school Yu Wanning graduated from. *http://fearless-in-beijing.com/2012/12/07/good-evening-from-beijing/
It is – exceptionally well organized, and all these school shows are presented on a small army of very beautiful and professional models, styled and groomed with professional hairdressers and makeup, (even if at times a bit heavy handed).
- A little feel of “Jesus Christ Superstar” complete with halos and all – no wings. But a sexy chain in her back
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For each show, one hair-do and one makeup per girl and it was a very clever idea, because it looked great but also it allowed the public to concentrate on the clothes. The girls looked amazing of course but it was all about the work.
The two venues are big and proper. All the shows start on time and all is incredibly polished and professional. I am VERY impressed. So if the clothes are not always credible or even ‘good’ by my -admittedly- high – standard, this is an incredible event and I am very proud to be a part of it thanks to their digital sponsor 360 Fashion Network. Some schools definitely stand out already. Hongzhou, the first to present, was I think more in the vein of Central Saint Martins in terms of quality and creativity.
All are doing a most impressive work in unleashing the creativity of their students. Having worked for a few months with BIFT/UAL students, I know how little of ‘our’ cultural references these kids know, so seeing influences from either Claude Montana or Kansai Yamamoto was I knew purely coincidental but nonetheless amazing.
- 李静雪 – just lovely, outside the venue with still some “decor” in her hair
As I want to be fair to all and have the names of the students I loved most, today I will post about the bystanders and the beautiful models that are working their asses off to give this Fashion Week the amazing vibe it has. The CLOTHES which is what this is all about will be published next with all proper credit.
So for now, to all of you, Well Done! I do not mean to be patronizing, you are awesome! You work hard and look amazing doing it! Bravo! I look forward to the next one.
- 白白白白白– Super nice, she waited patiently for me to get the light right.
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Pour la première fois, je suis obligé de dire un truc qui moi-même me surprend:
“Paris, Londres, New York, Sydney, Milan… Vous devriez jeter un coup d’oeil sur Pékin en matière de mode, d’écoles et de présentation du travail des universités et en prendre de la graine!”
Voilà, c’est dit!
Depuis mercredi se tient à Pékin dans le complexe “mode” de 751 un évênement extraordinaire de professionalisme, de créativité et d’organisation! (et je ne dis ça ni souvent ni facilement). La semaine de la mode des Universités de Mode!
中国大学生时装周日程表 (China Graduate Fashion Week)
Ils sont venus du pays entier pour présenter leurs idées et défendre amicalement leurs écoles et ils sont formidables! Les deux premieres écoles présentées, celles de Donghua and Honzhou étaient, je pense, parmis les meilleures, avec une énergie créative à la fois intense et contrôlée, des idées et une réalisation impeccable qui me rappelaient parfois le Claude Montana des grandes années ou Kansai Yamamoto, deux créateurs emblématiques des années 70 que sans aucun doute aucun de ces jeunes chinois ne connaissent ni d’Eve ni d’Adam.
Les autres écoles de Dianli, Hebei ou Tianjin étaient aussi passionantes bien que parfois moins ‘expérimentales’ ou peut-être moins ‘puissantes’ que ce que j’aurais aimé, mais j’admet être difficile. Par contre, ce qui est époustouflant ce sont les moyens mis à la disposition des écoles et des étudiants pour présenter leurs créations.
Des filles magnifiques, professionelles, superbes qui travaillent trés dur pour présenter avec grâce et aplomb même les créations les plus ‘ridicules’ (et il y en a), des équipes de coiffeurs et maquilleurs qui créent pour chaque défilé un look unique même si parfois un peu lourd, des techniciens sons et lumieres, des chorégraphies, un service de sécurité poli et professionel, des shows qui commencent précisement à l’heure dans des salles impeccables. Bref, je suis bluffée. Je suis invitée par leur sponsor technique internet 360 Fashion Network pour qui je vais écrire des comptes-rendus. Je n’ai malheureusement pas le temps de voir toutes les écoles mais j’y retourne ce soir et demain pour en voir encore quelques unes avant de présenter mes favoris.
Aussi, avant de mettre véritablement les jeunes créateurs en ligne, je veut vérifier avec les écoles le nom des étudiants, ce sera donc pour bientôt. Ce soir, CAFA, la prestigieuse Académie des Beaux-Art de Chine, l’école de la créatrice Yu Wanning ‘Evening” présente ses étudiants et je me prépare à y aller. *http://fearless-in-beijing.com/2012/12/07/good-evening-from-beijing/
Donc bientôt un peu plus en profondeur , je présenterai mes favoris de la jeune génération de créateurs chinois.
李静雪 Super pretty model, and the contrast of the door… backstage.
Aujourd’hui, je veut saluer les étudiants, les visiteurs et surtout les ‘models’ pour cette superbe surprise. Cette si belle fashion week qui sans aucune prétention présente de la mode pure, drôle, créative et dans un cadre professionel. Unique.
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