Young Chinese designers are trying to find their voice. Picture here: a piece by Liu Min for her label Ms Min.[Photo/China Daily]

Working on identity

Angelica Cheung, the editorial director of Vogue China, and a heavyweight in China's fashion world, believes the local industry must represent Chinese lifestyle.

"When we talk about British, French or American styles, people know exactly what those mean because their styles are deeply rooted in their way of life," says Cheung. "So far Chinese style is concerned, I believe our current generation of designers are still working on it."

But for local designers, the task of "finding their voice" is still an uphill one given the pace at which China is changing. And, any attempt to give the Chinese style a neat definition is bound to fail at present, she says.

"Do I think the qipao (cheongsam) represents the 'China style'? Yes, of course. Does a modern twin-set suit also represent that style? Undoubtedly."

She suggests the country's contemporary designers look toward the Chinese youth and create fashion in line with their aspirations and sensibilities that are also reflective of their peers elsewhere in the world.

Among contemporary Chinese designers is Beijing-based Christopher Bu, who dressed top star Fan Bingbing for the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, creating a storm with his floor-sweeping gown that featured white cranes embroidered on crimson brocaded silk and carried off elegantly by the actress.

The following year, Fan appeared at the same French festival in one of Bu's body-hugging creations that resembled a porcelain flower vase.

The designer now has two lines under his name: a high-end customized Christopher Bu and the ready-to-wear Chris by Christopher Bu line. For those who first got to know him by watching his works on TV, the second line, with clothes that sometimes mock pop culture, comes as a surprise.

The 35-year-old designer describes as deliberate his decision to keep the two lines separate. "When I started the ready-to-wear line (in 2013), I'd already been painted by the media as a red-carpet designer who loves extravagance, ... but that's only one part of me."