Modern Chinese Fashion - Research Paper Example

? 21 March Modern Chinese fashion: So much has changed over the of so many years that modern Chinese culture can appear to be vividly different from what it was like in the past. Chinese history reflects that very deep attention has always been paid to attire but myriad commendable changes have also occurred over the passing time. Enhancing body curves creatively and with a tinge of mystery forms hallmark of the present day Chinese female wear, while in old Chinese pictures women are always seen clad in loose robes. This paper focuses on modern Chinese fashion and is basically meant to discuss the changing fashion patterns seen at festivals and traditions, how traditional and festive Chinese clothing differ from each other, mainstream Chinese fashion designers, popular dress trends, and how wealth produces influence on the type of clothes worn by the Chinese people. Integrating the creative and priceless knowledge gained from places which are considered to be centers of fashion like New York, Paris, and Milan in the native system to create modern clothes sensitively customized to the culture of China is not an easy challenge to fulfill. Chinese fashion designers are astute and sensitive enough to acknowledge the changing economical trends in the country and design their clothes while keeping the national economical state of the country in their minds so that everyone would be able to wear stylish clothes irrespective of class difference. Basic Chinese fashion elements derive from the Tang and Song dynasties and Shiatzy Chen is one such fashion label in China run by Wang Chen which relies heavily on materials such as silk and satin. In words of Chen, “I wanted to create something that reflects Chinese culture, yet manages to achieve global recognition; a brand that would make China proud” (El Sayed). Class difference, though not as pronounced now as it was previously in Chinese clothing, also presents challenges for Chinese fashion designers on some levels. In the past, these elements of class difference and wealth were seen so deeply rooted in the Chinese culture that rich and poor people could be distinguished from each other merely by looking at their clothes. Distinction made by clothes between rich and poor was undeniably so obvious in the ancient China as compared to the modern China that no one could possibly remain oblivious to it. The wealthy members of the society were identified by the richness reflecting from their royal clothes which were almost always made out of silk, while the middle class and poor people relied on wearing very simple clothes made out of cotton. But irrespective of past and modern times, silk has throughout served as a resolute status symbol in the Chinese society and has always remained the material of choice to be worn for the rich and elite Chinese people in traditional terms. It is also the general consensus among the Chinese people, fashion designers, and critics that silk has a wide range of application in both festive and ordinary clothing. From being integrated in women’s blouses and scarves to men’s dress shirts and ties, silk is recognized as the material of choice for the fashion designers too who design clothes in accordance with common public’s demands and tastes. The modern Chinese fashion wear largely refines the more conventional clothing approach as seen in old Chinese pictures and present day popular trends can also be considered as a major reflection of orthodox dressing trends. In the ancient days during the Tang and Song dynasties, fabrics popular in China were gauze, damask, crepe, and brocade (Csanyi). Women wore loose robes with long sleeves and used decorative cloth on the lower hems (Hua 16). Incorporation of classic Chinese symbols in the clothing is vividly apparent in the ancient Chinese clothing culture. To the present day clothing culture, symbolism still serves as one of the primarily important elements considered by the fashion designers while designing clothes. Therefore, classic Chinese symbols are frequently mixed with the globally acknowledged latest trends in clothing designs and the combination always turns out to be worth looking at. Symbols most commonly employed when designing clothes include signs of good luck, opera characters, dragons, pictures of deities, and masks. Commonly, clothes worn by Chinese people on especial occasions or festivals represent an attractive combination of high quality silk and classical patterns of embroidery and weaving. Stylish dresses made out of embroidered silk are most commonly worn by Chinese women on especial occasions which accentuate body curves not in a vulgar but in a very pleasant way. The use of embroidered silk is also much pronounced in the royal robes worn by elite class of the ancient China. Three central colors apparent in Chinese clothing culture are red, black, and white (Lu). Men feel equally attracted to popular fashion trends these days as women, while fashion and changing clothing trends mainly targeted women and younger girls in the ancient China leaving men out of focus. In daily life, embroidered clothes are not preferred by Chinese men and women. Save especial occasions, these people like to wear untraditional comfortable clothes which would not become an obstacle in carrying out daily life chores as embroidered clothes definitely would. Jeans are now as common in China as anywhere else in the world and popular in both men and women (China Unique). Still Chinese people are very conservative on some levels despite modernity like majority never prefers wearing swimsuits on the beaches and feels that dressing inappropriately would robe them of their dignities (Travel China Guide). Summing up, this much remains clear from the above discussion that Chinese fashion has always remained successful in maintaining its charm no matter how much deviation is made from the orthodox cultural norms and is still considered irresistible due to the fact that Chinese fashion designers never fail in introducing new and innovative mixes of conventional norms and modernity through clothes to the Chinese public. It is also one of the most distinguished elements of the Chinese fashion culture that it does not aim at hurting common public’s feelings by designing clothes that would totally antagonize the original Chinese norms and values. Works cited: China Unique. “Culture in China.” 2011. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. Csanyi, Carolyn. “Types and Characteristics of Traditional Chinese Clothing.” 2012. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. El Sayed, Olivia. “Wang Chen Tsai-Hsia – between Trend and Tradition.” 04 Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. Hua, Mei. Chinese Clothing. UK: Cambridge University Press, 2011. Print. Lu, Yang. “Chinese Clothing - Five Thousand Years' History.” n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. Travel China Guide. “Dress Code in China.” 2012. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. Read More