Casual wear has stepped into the spotlight at the ongoing China International Fashion Week which ended Friday in Beijing. This follows a number of shows featuring luxurious furs and wedding gowns.

Ne Tiger womenswear and Cabbeen menswear highlighted more than 40 runaway shows of domestic brands during the fashion week.

Ne Tiger was the first powerhouse presentation of the week. Zhang Zhifeng, designer of Ne Tiger, China's leading fur fashion company, presented 66 ready-to-wear pieces made or decorated with fur. It was Zhang's third fur collection show at the biannual China Fashion Week.

Different from last November's collection, which emphasized celebrated women's elegance and fitter fair ladies, this season Zhang's inspiration comes from the leopard, one of the most vigorous, nimble and powerful animals in the world.

The models paraded along the T-stage brimming with energy, passion and a wild nature, which made them even more sexy and seductive.

The fur bomber jackets were luscious, modern and street savvy.

Aside from overcoats, jackets and shawls, the versatile yarn and fur were also perfectly knitted, woven or trimmed into belts, dress, and as decorations. Raw edgy sensuality in full-length furs, vests and hats and rich colors and detailed embellishments defined Zhang's new collection.

Zhang's collection made people believe fur is an integral part of fashion.

"Lightweight fur wraps around my imagination," said the designer from northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

Cabbeen's show looked more like a party where dozens of young and handsome men gather. The banquet hall of the China Trade Hotel was turned into a club in downtown Beijing. Every guest to the show got a bottle of beer to make them feel more like entering the party.

Yang Ziming, designer of Cabbeen, continues his usual bold casual style, dressing his models with unconventional jackets, suits, jeans and shirts with striking pink, green or orange prints.

Details of collars, ends of sleeves, pants pockets, zippers and belts were all carefully designed. Prints, drawing and embroidery were all used in the collection.

As for fabric, Yang favors natural cotton, linen, wool and leather. Some overcoats were made with mix-and-match fabric.

Among many others, Liang Zi, designer of the Shenzhen Tangy Fashion Company, also presented an impressive show entitled "Rippling Water" to display her 2005 spring/summer collection.

As always, Liang pleased the eye with her elegant and original outfits, which she summaries as "peace, health and beauty."

The models, all with long straight hair and bare feet, gracefully walked down the stage to display dresses made of very light natural fabric such as cotton, linen, silk and wool.

She also uses panels and cut-outs, plunging tops that are open at the sides and short tunic dresses with draped panels in the back.
Liang told China Daily after the show on Wednesday afternoon: "The inspiration came from my summer trip to Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, where my soul was cleaned by the broad sky and earth as well as the Buddhism interpreted in the paintings in the grottoes."

In its seventh year, the biannual China Fashion Week has grown at a steady pace, with more and more brands, designers, models, critics, photographers and all kinds of people from the fashion industry from both home and abroad participating.

Targeting the huge potential market in China, shoes and accessories of some famous foreign brands also graced Beijing during the week.

Jean Paul Gaultier gave a mini-show and a cocktail party to announce the arrival of its accessories and bags for 2004/05 autumn/winter to its Beijing boutique.

Piaget, the world-leading brand of watches and jewellery from Geneva, opened a new store in Beijing, which is Piaget's fourth store in China, following those in Shanghai and Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang.

Omas pen, Tanino Crisci shoes and Mavive perfume from Italy also sent people to the Fashion Week to test the market and look for local partners.

(China Daily November 27, 2004)