Join our panel and discover the heavy weights that are shaping the new side of China’s independent fashion industry. To talk about China’s evolution in fashion and the catwalk are: Hung Huang, publisher of iLook magazine, who has been dubbed ‘the Oprah of China’ for her insightful thoughts on fashion and Chinese culture. We will also be joined by designer Liu Lu to talk about what it’s like to be an independent designer in this fast, emerging market. The panel will be moderated by fashion journalist Alice McInerney.

Monday, March 16, 6:30pm-8:30pm
“Design By China: Meet the Heavy Weights Shaping China’s Fashion Industry”
Hung Huang, CEO, China Interactive Media Group
Liu Lu, Designer
Alice McInerney, Fashion Journalist
Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China
Zajia Lab | 80 RMB | Registration

Only a few decades ago, wearing anything aside from a dull grey Mao suit was demonised as bourgeoise. Now, China’s luxury market is pegged to become one of the world’s largest at $27 billion, according to McKinsey & Co. Most importantly, fashion is becoming a powerful way of expression for younger generations who move away from big international fashion brands as they develop a fashion identity of their own. Join our panel and discover the heavy weights that are shaping the new side of China’s independent fashion industry. To talk about China’s evolution in fashion and the catwalk are: Hung Huang, publisher of iLook magazine, who has been dubbed ‘the Oprah of China’ for her insightful thoughts on fashion and Chinese culture. We will also be joined by designer Liu Lu to talk about what it’s like to be an  independent designer in this fast, emerging market. The panel will be moderated by fashion journalist Alice McInerney.

Hung Huang serves as the CEO of the China Interactive Media Group, which publishes iLook fashion magazine. She’s the author of a popular blog and micro-blog, with the latter having more than 9 million followers. The Vassar College alumna has also written a best-selling autobiography, My Abnormal Life as a Publisher, and starred in the independent Chinese film, “Perpetual Motion”, which made its international debut at the 2005 Venice Film Festival. In 2011, TIME magazine selected Ms Hung as one of the world’s most influential people. Her latest business venture, Brand New China, is a mutli-brand shop in Beijing that promotes homegrown talent, showcasing everything from apparel to home accessories by more than 100 cutting-edge Chinese designers.

Liu Lu studied fashion design at New York City’s famed Parsons and after graduating from there in 2006, she helped design clothes for Puff Daddy and other prominent American celebrities.  Although Liu was clearly on the fast track toward the top of the New York fashion world, she chose to return to China and make her mark in the Middle Kingdom, establishing first her Lu12.28 brand, followed more recently by Luvon.  Her designs have taken inspiration from both New York and Beijing, providing a modern and cosmopolitan twist on the traditional Chinese sense of female beauty.  With these innovative fashion ideas and her collaboration with photographer Quentin Shi, Liu is making a name for herself from Beijing to Shanghai.

Alice McInerney is a fashion journalist, consultant and entrepreneur and has been based in Beijing since 2008. Upon discovering China’s emerging young designers back in 2009 during her tenure as fashion editor of Time Out Beijing, her work has been committed to promoting and documenting China’s rapidly evolving fashion scene. Last September she conceived the STYLE EAST project at Milan Fashion Week, a showcase supporting Asian designers. She also writes and consults for publications and brands including Wallpaper, Alexander McQueen, Style.com and The Ritz-Carlton group.  She recently sold her interest in her first fashion e-commerce startup and is set to launch a B2B platform later this year.

To register, please click here.

Event information courtesy of Legation Quarter