Young US designers learn on China trip
Print Edition
Rag & Bone, Marchesa and Proenza Schouler, among the top in their class of cool, youngish New York-based fashion houses, took a field trip to China recently to start a dialogue with consumers as they all have their eye on expansion.
What they learned: Customers want something unique.
“Some of the comments we heard were that the Chinese were getting a little sick of a Louis Vuitton store on every corner,” said David Neville, co-founder with Marcus Wainwright of Rag & Bone. “Some of the really affluent people are starting to want stuff that isn’t everywhere. ... The über luxury brands have been there a long time.”
The three brands staged a fashion show at Ming Dynasty City Wall Relics Park at the Great Wall of China. The audience was receptive, said Meredith Melling Burke, Vogue’s senior market editor, who accompanied the designers during their visit. “There was a sense of excitement on both sides about discovery,” she said.
“We are always inspired by the juxtaposition between the old and the new,” said Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler.
The designers were selected by Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and the Council of Fashion Designers of America as part of a joint Fashion Fund program. On a trip to China a few years ago, Wintour noted that US labels didn’t have the same presence as their European counterparts. If there’s anyone in a position to change that, it’s probably Wintour, especially with the mentoring-focused CFDA and the financial support of Silas Chou, who helped bankroll Michael Kors.
“There’s a market for less-known names, not the household names yet — something special and personal,” Wintour said. “One of the reasons the European houses went to China is that they needed to expand. The US didn’t have that sense of need at the time, but young designers are working in a very different environment when a Ralph Lauren was their age and they are thinking in a very different way. They are thinking globally.”
Keren Craig of Marchesa learned that Chinese customers are enthralled with travel, and Marchesa is launching a collection called Voyage this year. “It was great feedback to feel like we’re going in the right direction. It was very exciting.”
Marchesa already has “leaned quite heavily” on Chinese-style embroidery and traditional colors, but Craig imagines future collections will aim to capture the intricacy of the architecture and art that she saw.
Neville said his visit was invaluable. “We’ve traveled a lot to different places on the planet, and this felt like a different world. You need some local expertise and partners to help guide you.”
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