Zhejiang native Chen Xuzhi is flying the Chinese flag high on the global fashion stage with his innovative, oriental-inspired clothing designs

Chen Xuzhi was born and raised in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, one of China's most ancient watertowns that has two specialties - yellow rice wine and textile.

In the 1980s, when the country reopened its door to the world, the town was known for producing hundreds of millions of meters of Dacron, a type of synthetic polyester that was widely available in a variety of colors. For years, this fabric was coveted by fashionable women as it spawned new alternatives to the boring suits that were commonly worn on the streets.

However, Dacron's popularity was always overshadowed by Shaoxing's famous yellow rice wines, which have been touted by some as the equivalent of champagne in France.

Today, Chen looks poised to turn the tables with his eponymous luxury fashion label Xu Zhi.

The 24-year-old, who graduated from Central Saint Martins in London, has recreated a new type of fabric using yarn quilting techniques by working with factories in Zhejiang province and has incorporated the fabric into all four of his fashion collections.

"Essentially, I want to build a soft feminine image that sparkles with a type of oriental confidence, the quiet type, through the textile," said Chen during Shanghai Fashion Week last month.

Established in London in 2014, right after Chen's graduation, Xu Zhi features a variety of clothing, from light options for spring and summer to heavier clothing for autumn and winter, as well as formal statement dresses and casual daily wears.

The Chinese designer first sold his creations at trendy stores such as Opening Ceremony in Los Angeles, Dover Street Market in London and Lane Crawford in Hongkong and Shanghai, before winning acclaim from industry influencers including Sussie Bubble and Colin McDowell. Chen was also shortlisted for prestigious awards such as the LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize and the Woolmark Prize.

Having done internships with the likes of boundary-pushers such as UK fashion labels JW Anderson and Craig Green, Chen said that the brand image he wants to project is one that is vulnerable, independent and contemporary.

He also said that his brand's distinctive oriental style is more a result of his roots than a deliberate attempt to target the burgeoning luxury fashion market in his home country.

"I didn't opt for an oriental style because of the spending prowess of Chinese consumers today. I did so because that is where I come from and that is what continues to inspire me," said Chen.

After his creations were spotted by buyers of Lane Crawford at the Mode showroom during Shanghai Fashion Week last year, Chen was chosen as one of the three young Chinese designers to work on the "Creation in China" project that was launched by the Hong Kong-based luxury department store.

Chen said that Xu Zhi's latest fall/winter collection for this project is inspired by the virtual reality concept behind the film The Science of Sleep and features basic wardrobe pieces that have been reconstructed with new fabrics. As a result, all the pieces appear "real" but in a different way, creating an "artificial reality".

With regard to the local market in China, Chen said that Chinese consumers today are more sophisticated than ever and have adopted a much more open mindset toward the works by homegrown talents after decades of chasing the big luxury brands.

China is gradually losing its appeal as a manufacturing giant, and with the devaluation of the yuan meaning that labor costs are no longer as low as before, the domestic textile manufacturing industry is now seeking to transform itself by focusing on originality and quality rather than volume.

All these factors, he said, are playing a part in the rise of Chinese designers such as himself.

"I think we (emerging Chinese designers) are now living in the best time in fashion history," said Chen.

xujunqian@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 11/04/2016 page9)