Shenzhen Fashion Week (Part 3)

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Next, we talked to John Wolford the director of Vauxhall Fashion Scout in London. Last year they brought Shenzhen designers to the London Fashion week. He was in town as a guest of the Shenzhen Garment Industry Association to scout out more designers to bring for next year.

SZP: Where have you done fashion weeks?

JW: In Columbia, Italy, France, Germany, Turkey, Japan…all over the place.

SZP: How long have you been doing this?

JW: About 23 years.

SZP: What lead you to it?

JW: Unemployment. I was working in the theater as an assistant to a well known theater and film director. He lost his funding and I lost my job. Someone needed a fashion show produced and I worked in the theater, so the connection was logical and been doing it ever since.

SZP: What is one of the more interesting venues that you have worked?

JW: One of the nicest was for an Indian client. We staged a fashion show at a fort in the middle of the desert in Rajikistan. It was too hot at night and I slept on the roof. Woke up in the morning and was surrounded by red-assed baboons and they are rather dangerous animals, so I had to creep out of there.
SZP: How does the Shenzhen show compare to the one in Shanghai?

JW: What I find really interesting is that I am working with the Chinese to develop their own signature. A lot of what I have been seeing here in the past 24 hours has been very Euro formed, copies of European designs, in fact if you look around now you will see the girls are dressed very much like Europeans. If you dropped them into London or wherever they would fit right in.

What I like about the OZZO show tonight is that they need to go back to their own roots and explore what is Chinese. They have very different bodies from Europeans and tend to be longer bodied with shorter legs and surprisingly busty. It’s a different shape, the skin tone is different, the hair, the psychology. And to buy off the European shelf isn’t good for that mentality.

Like the guy who made the joke tonight about the two OOs being the Chinese and perfect characters and the two ZZs being the Europeans because they were angular and difficult. They will automatically start talking about different characteristics, yet they just put on the same clothes. That to my mind doesn’t follow, so that’s what I am trying to work on while I am in China.

SZP: Where do you see the fashion trends in China going? Like Shanghai Tang?

JW: I think that he sold out the Chinese tradition and has made it unusable for the Chinese because he’s made it too expensive. I think it interesting how contemporary Chinese clothes can look. Things like the Qipao. They don’t use that much anymore, but it is a very sexy dress.

They have got the fabrics, they’ve got the technique, it’s a matter now of them having the confidence.

SZP: Where do you see the market going in Asia?

JW: Like everywhere in the world, it will striate. If you look at the demographics, ten years ago only 5% wore causal sportswear, the rest wore suits. Now, 60% dress like this. It evolves. At the moment they are wearing Ralph Lauren, but they will want to wear their designers as their designers take off. They can get away with wearing things that Europeans can’t, we are too heavy. I can see them going for print and pattern. They like embellishment, they like embroidery and I think there is a whole load of areas that haven’t even been explored yet.

On the model side, we talked to Ronnie Fu, the CEO of R&K Models who directs a passionate team enchanted by the love of arts and fashion. There are also senior planners, professional photographers, make-up artists, stylists, graphic designers, experienced agents and models from both China and abroad.

SZP: When did you start RK models?
RF: I started R&K model agency in 2006 in Auckland New Zealand

SZP: What do you specialize in?

RF: We do runway, exhibitions, trade shows catalogues, print, TV commercials and all types of advertising work.

SZP: What are some of the shows that your models have recently worked?

RF: The Shenzhen - Hong Kong - Macao International Auto Show 2010, the 10th China International Brand Clothing & Accessories Fair Shenzhen, Milandon - 15th Anniversary celebration and Luohu Fashion Week.

SZP: What are the current trends in customer requirements?

RF: Clients want very professional models. There is no specific trend.

SZP: Are you currently recruiting models?

RF: Yes. R&K's vision is to attract fashionistas and creative talent and to plan the best events and build the best fashion. We are looking for more professional models who are passionate, creative and show a real commitment to life. Enthusiasm, innovation and expertise will truly be valued and recognized by our team and we welcome new talent.

SZP: If someone wants to work with you, how do they contact you?

RF: Go to our website, which is www.rkeray.com or http://blog.sina.com.cn/rkeray. The telephone number is: 0086 -13902440160 or 0755-26855290.

The best is surely to come and anything can happen in the fast-paced and wild world of fashion. We are going to see bigger and better things in the future for Shenzhen and ultimately the rest of China.