They're in fashion

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FE AT URE | LIFE & S T Y LE

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The Glossy Posse Making Style Headway in China

by Ma r i a n n a Ce r i n i

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The (Micro) Blogger Han Huohuo

Stick-thin, daringly flamboyant and followed by over 3.5 million people, Han Huohuo is one of the country’s top blogger-istas. His Sina blog (now boasting 1.3 million readers) and subsequent Weibo account proved so popular that he left his job at Marie Claire China to pursue them fulltime.

Both platforms feature the writer sporting leather pants, designer purses and fur-lined coats. Followers also get insights into swanky fashion events, which he often attends with model, actress and BFF, Angelababy.

The blogger now regularly rubs shoulders with the likes of Vogue China editor Angelica Cheung and legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld.

Signature look: Androgynous.

Think women’s clutches, skin-tight black pants and the occasional high heel (all beneath a badass Mohawk).

Beyond the blog: As well as a few stints as a stylist and designer, Han has released two books, Fire Bible 2012 and Fire Bible 2013, which feature his favorite styles on Chinese models, fashionistas and celebrities.

THEY’RE IN FASHION China’s fashion scene is changing. Fast. While status symbols may still trump sartorial savvy in the logosaturated luxury retail market, a creative awakening has emerged in recent years.

Shanghai Fashion Week and China Fashion Week in Beijing have become increasingly relevant since launching over a decade ago. As well as providing a snapshot of the industry’s strengths, both events promote a passion for originality and have helped propel a cluster of home-grown designers into the international spotlight. Chinese models, too, are slowly but determinedly coming to the fore of the fashion set – both globally and locally.

This emergence is not only happening on the catwalk. The recent proliferation of street style blogs and other fashion-orientated social media has inspired new excitement among young Chinese.

Across cities, more people are embracing the artistry of dressing and taking risks with what they wear.

With this in mind, we’ve picked out some of the need-to-know talents shaping the nation’s fashion scene and redefining Chinese style.

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The Stylist Lucia Liu

Based between Beijing and London, Lucia Liu has worked on editorials and covers for magazines like i-D, Glass and Dazed & Confused. Since taking over as Harper’s Bazaar China’s style director, she has dressed global fashion icons including Fan Bingbing, Lucy Liu and Vivienne Westwood.

Liu’s edgy editorials often verge on the surreal. “I like to present people with images I envisage in my mind,” she says. “Sometimes I just stare at buildings from my window for a long, long time, and I get a sudden spark.”

Words of wisdom: “You have to grasp people’s merits and be able to play with different bodies but also different personalities. There are no rules you have to stick to. That’s why I love the job so much.”

Style icon: Chloë Sevigny.

Often seen with: Mega-actress Yao Chen and fashion photographer Chen Man.

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The Model Ming Xi

Shanghai-born Ming Xi got her modeling breakthrough as China’s representative for the Elite Model Look competition. She was soon chosen by Givenchy’s director Riccardo Tisci to walk exclusively for the fashion house in 2010 – a first for a Chinese model. Her career has been on an upward trajectory ever since.

Moving easily between haute couture and ready-to-wear, the 24-year-old has starred in a slew of campaigns, magazines and shows for designers including Lanvin, Christian Dior and Alexander Wang.

Her ascent in the industry appears to have been cemented when American designer Michael Kors asked her to model at a fashion show in Shanghai in May before sending her to New York’s Met Gala in one of his custom gowns.

Last December, Ming made her debut as a Victoria Secret’s Angel at the American lingerie brand’s outlandish fashion show, following the footsteps of Sui He and Liu Wen – one of the highest-paid models in the world.

She is ranked 32nd on Models.com’s top 50 list and is likely to climb higher thanks to her escalating stardom. Supermodel status is only a matter of time.

Beauty pointers: Prominent cheekbones and playfully protruding ears, which have no doubt helped her stand out from the throng.

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The ‘It’ Girl Mega Meng Meng

The Alexa Chung of China, Mega Meng Meng is a fashion force to be reckoned with. As a stylist, model, filmmaker, blogger, designer and muse (among other things) the Beijinger has become a regular attendee at fashion weeks in London and New York, as well as a fixture at other A-list events in China and abroad.

But Meng is not only famous for floating around and going to parties. The highly driven 25-year-old has worked with dozens of publications, penning columns and fashion editorials in magazines like Vogue and GQ, as well as collaborating with the likes of Lanvin, Lane Crawford and Yoox.

A fashion icon in the making, this girl is the antithesis of loud and brash. Her style is thoroughly endearing and often described as ‘quirky’. In a world of female celebrities stumbling around in six-inch stilettos and Hervé Léger bandage dresses, Meng is a refreshing dose of accessible prettiness, as opposed to aggressive sexuality.

On the name Mega: “I love big, extraordinary things,” she told W magazine, which profiled her as one to watch as early as 2012.

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The Designer Christopher Bu

Reinterpreting Chinese culture with a modern mentality, Christopher Bu began as a stylist to the stars, most notably his oldest client, Fan Bingbing.

The actress encouraged him to start his own label in 2011 and wore one of his creations – a well-received red craneembroidered gown – to the Cannes Film Festival. The following year, she chose another of Bu’s frocks and the rest is (albeit quite recent) history.

The designer then launched the eclectic ready-to-wear label, Chris by Christopher Bu. Shunning glitzy department stores, he boldly opened a showroom in an unassuming Beijing hutong.

Last month, Bu made his international debut at Milan Fashion Week where he was one of three Chinese designers to be showcased at the prestigious multi-brand store No.30 MILANO. He may not be a household name just yet, but his success in Italy hints at his potential.

The aesthetic: Bu’s collections are beautifully executed and visually charming, playing with bold prints and sharp silhouettes.

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