Paper 15

Reflection on the identity of Chinese Fashion Designers and their stardom and vulnerability

Going through these splendid 40 years of economic growth and social development in mainland China since the ‘Reform and Open Policy,’ which its Central Government has uncompromisingly adopted since 1978, this paper presents the gradual recognition of the Chinese fashion designer as a creatively demanding job and highly reputed profession, the establishment of the professional community, glittering awards, shining stardom, sky-high salary and vulnerability in the market, and last but not least, the development of appropriate relationships with the media, associations, enterprises, etc. which has assisted our fashion designers to figure out their professional identity. This is a vivid miniature of how this big country has tried its utmost to transform its early status as the world factory to a place of creativity.

The paper relies on the theories, methodologies and field works from a range of Chinese, French and English sources. It is also based on 80 semi-structured field-work interviews with fashion professionals working for the Chinese National Fashion Association and well-known Chinese fashion brands.