Lulu Liu’s Spring/Summer 2016 runway show at London Fashion Week. (Courtesy Photo) No stranger to the fashion design spotlight, China-born, British citizen Lulu Liu showcased her ninth consecutive runway collection during London Fashion Week on September 19. Since her departure from China to enroll at the prestigious London College of Fashion in 2008 and subsequent…
Breitling’s Vice President Talks New Smartphone-Connected Watch and China
Breitling Vice President Jean-Paul Girardin and Breitling Brand Ambassador and astronaut Mark Kelly at the launch of the new Exospace B55 connected chronograph watch in New York. (Courtesy Photo) As several luxury watch brands slowly join the wearable tech revolution, Swiss watchmaker Breitling has become an early adopter with its new Expospace B55 model launched…
Ask Hung Huang | Chinese New Year Luxury Goods: Hit or Miss?
Ulysse Nardin’s Classico timepiece for the year of the monkey. (Courtesy Photo) From beauty products to watches, luxury brands are rolling out a wide range of monkey-emblazoned items for the Chinese New Year holiday coming up on February 8 this year. But do these products actually resonate with discerning Chinese consumers? For this week’s Q&A…
China’s Luxury Copycats Say They’re Fans, Not Fakers
A few months after iconic Parisian fashion boutique Colette closed its door at 213 Rue Saint-Honoré, a new store named “Colette: Forever” quietly opened in downtown Shanghai. The store has nothing to do with the original, run by Colette Roussaux and her daughter Sarah Lerfeli. According to Chinese media, the owner of this Shanghai store, who…
What Swiss Watchmakers Are Doing To Deal With China Export Dip
Declining Swiss watch exports to China don’t mean that brands aren’t optimistic for the future. (Piaget) From the year 2000 to 2012, Swiss watch companies enjoyed unprecedented growth in China, but the massive export surge ended with the introduction of China’s anti-corruption campaign and has been going down ever since. While exporters don’t predict a…
Event Watch | FashTech London
FashTech, one of London’s most exciting start-ups, is bringing the industry’s brightest minds together April 13-15 at its inaugural London Summit, creating a destination for dialogue that will accelerate innovation at the intersection of fashion and technology. FashTech taps into the pain points of fashion brands and retailers, offering a comprehensive view of the landscape through dynamic,…
Minimalist Hong Kong Bag Maker Cafuné Sets Sights on China’s Niche-Minded Fashionistas
It’s a classic Instagram photo for those with an eye for minimalism: designer sunglasses, a cup of coffee, and a small black clutch, all arranged neatly on a polished marble surface. Queenie Fan brings this vibe into a single handbag collection for her brand Cafuné, which she and co-founder Day Lau debuted online and in…
Exclusive Interview: Caroline Rush on China and the Future of Fashion Week
This season’s London Fashion Week (September 14-18) is seeing a new wave of Chinese designers take the runway, thanks to the online sales platform vip.com (VIPshop). Earlier this year, the British Fashion Council, led by their Chief Executive Caroline Rush, announced a strategic partnership with the e-tailer—the first of China’s e-tail giants to sponsor the…
London Fashion Week Chinese Designer Spotlight: Leaf Xia
Leaf Xia’s S/S 16 runway show at London Fashion Week. (Courtesy Photo) Fresh out of Parsons The New School for Design, China-born, New York-based fashion designer Leaf Xia made a big mark on London Fashion Week with her bold, colorful designs. After graduating this year, Xia’s work has already been displayed in the window at…
From London to Shanghai, Grace Chen’s Couture Charms Global High Society
With her designs worn by top Chinese and international elites such as Yue-Sai Kan, Oprah Winfrey, Yang Lan, Liu Xiaoqing, and Helen Mirren, it’s hard to believe that couture designer Grace Chen opened her first boutique only four years ago. Now known as the “power dresser” of the Chinese (and increasingly global) elite, her newly…