Clothing and design event highlights Chengdu's movement toward becoming a modern hub of creativity

Chengdu Fashion Week 2016 will kick off on Nov 22 in Pengzhou, a county-level city in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province.

The weeklong event will highlight the industry's innovation and will include an original design contest, a brand release show for domestic independent designers and a model contest.

The fashion show at the opening ceremony will feature four different design styles: light sport, cocktail dresses, Oriental style and simplified European style, according to the organizers.

The host city of Chengdu Fashion Week aims to be a textiles hub in western China. Photos Provided to China Daily

Models show designers' works at Chengdu Fashion Week 2016. The annual fashion event will kick off in Pengzhou Nov 22 and will highlight the industry's innovation. Photos Provided to China Daily

It will showcase the groundbreaking design concepts of Chinese fashion, tell the cultural stories behind the costumes, and introduce the development process and major achievements of the clothing industry in Pengzhou, the host city.

The original design contest, which began recruiting participants in September, has attracted professional designers, college students and fashion lovers from around the country, with an award ceremony scheduled for Nov 27, where the winning designs will be displayed.

At the brand release show for domestic independent designers, which will be held from Nov 23 to 26, eight leading domestic designers from cities including Shenzhen in Guangdong province, Shanghai and Chongqing are expected to showcase their works.

Deng Zhaoping, one of China's greatest designers, said Chengdu Fashion Week provides a good platform for emerging designers to display their works and communicate with professionals.

"It's lucky for the designers to have such a great event," she said.

Ji Wenbo, another renowned designer, said instead of just promoting products or the industry, Chengdu Fashion Week advocates a better lifestyle.

"The event opens a door for Pengzhou to become a city of fashion," he said. "The road ahead will be long, but I believe in the potential and capability of the city."

Pengzhou is also scheduled to host the Chengdu Home Textiles Week from Nov 29 to Dec 4, right after the fashion week.

The event will include an award ceremony for the Chengdu Home Textiles Design Contest, a brand release show and a home textiles-themed shopping festival, among other activities.

He Jun, an official at the Chengdu Municipal Commission of Commerce, said the events are strong boosts for the development of Chengdu's home textiles and clothing industries, and a driver for the city's fashion consumption.

"They will also help to build Chengdu into an international tourist destination and shopping hub, as well as a well-known city for international events," he said.

Pengzhou, located in the northwest of Chengdu Plain, is the only city honored both as a China Famous City of Home Textiles and a China Famous City of Casual Wear.

It has set a target to build itself into a production and trading center for home textiles in western China.

It has planned a home textiles industrial park, which will cover 6.6 square kilometers. The park is expected to create a complete industrial chain by 2025, with 110,000 employees generating 31 billion yuan ($4.5 billion) in annual output value.

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(China Daily European Weekly 11/18/2016 page28)