On March 17, 2007, the Hempel Awards, the 15th China International Young Fashion Designer Contest, kicked off China Fashion Week Collections Autumn/Winter 2007-2008.

The opening ceremony was held at the banquet hall of the Beijing Hotel On March 17, 2007.

In the following 9 days, there will be more than 30 famous fashion designers and makeup stylists, over 100 new design talents and 27 fashion brands from 20 countries and regions such as China, France, Germany, Italy, and Korea as well as Hong Kong and Macao displaying 25 collections of haute couture, fashion and makeup, 3 fashion design contests and 2 graduate selected works shows.

In addition, 14 press conferences and 9 expert lectures will be part of the over 40 professional activities will not only highlight fashion trends A/W 07-08, but also enhance international exchange and cooperation in the fashion and ready-to-wear industries and promote brand development and competitive power.

Brands shine as fashion favorites

Since brand culture and design inspiration are so important in the fashion market, the fashion trends collection show has been a major platform for designers and enterprises to guide people's consumption and enhance brand's competitiveness.

Six fashion trends collections will be displayed during China Fashion Week, including Bosideng China Down Wear Trend Collection A/W 07-08, Edenbo China Business Casual Men's Wear Fashion Trend Collection A/W 07-08, Hosa Cup China Lingerie Fashion Trend Collection 07-08, Jimmy Makeup Fashion Trend Collection 2007, MGPIN Color Makeup Trends Collection 2007, and Children's Wear Fashion Trends Collection A/W 07-08.

Moreover, 17 famous fashion designers from domestic and international companies will show their fashion collections at the Beijing Hotel and D-PARK Beijing House, including D-PARK Fashion Designers Collection A/W 07-08, Lilang Ji Wenbo Men's Collection A/W 07-08, Bois Rouge Men's Business Casual Collection A/W 07-08, Cabbeen Men's Collection A/W 07-08, St. Dawee Zeng Fengfei Men's Collection A/W 07-08, Chaoyue Liu Lin-Jin Hui Sportswear Collection A/W 07-08, Choi Bo Ko Fashion Collection, Sun Xiuqin Minorities' Costumes and Accessories Collection, Meidi Zhang Jicheng Fashion Collection A/W 07-08, Elegant Prosper Women's Collection A/W 07-08, Michele Miglionico Haute Couture Collection, Irene Van Ryb Fashion Collection and Miiow Fashion Collection A/W 07-08.

Training and discovering new talents

Training professionals and discovering new talents are not only the China Fashion Week's most important responsibilities for the industry's innovation and brand development, but also the enterprises and brands’ prominent contribution to society. China Fashion Association (CFA) has always paid great attention to this through their contests, which have not only become the focus of the fashion industry and society, but also the central stage for young designers to display their unique creations and talent. This also shows that those famed fashion enterprises have a strong sense of social responsibility.

3 design contest finals will be held during China Fashion Week: the Hempel Awards, the Hosa Cup (the 4th China Swimwear Design Contest), and the Qipai Cup China Costume Creation Contest.

China Fashion Week, which has been held for 10 years, is the international stage for domestic and foreign fashion brands and designers. It is a window for mutual exchange of fashion education and a great launching pad to publicize fashion institutes' educational achievements and their most excellent graduates.

Since 2004, the Beijing Institute of Clothing Technology and Raffles International College have held a series of displays of teachers and students' creations during China Fashion Week. This time, the Beijing Institute of Clothing Technology will hold a Graduate Selected Works Show for the fourth time, along with the graduates from Arts & Design School of Tsinghua University.

Media influence and fashion forum
 
The China Fashion Week Press Conference & Reception has provided a good opportunity for brands, fashion designers and cities or regions to release their news and gain influence through the press.

There will be 14 press conferences during this China Fashion Week: China Fashion Week Press Conference, the 15th Hempel Awards Contest Media Reception, China Casual Wear City - Shishi Day, Bosideng Press Conference, Chaoyue Press Conference, Hosa Cup Press Conference, 2007 Ordifen Innovative Design Contest for China Underwear Press Conference & Beauideal Press Conference, Asahi Kasei-China Fashion Designer Creative Awards Press Conference, the 16th JeanWest Cup Casual Wear Design Contest Theme Release, 2007 Silk Road International Clothing & Accessories Festival Press Conference, The 6th China (Dalang) International Woolen Knitwear Fair Press Conference, Qipai Cup China Costume Creation Contest Press Conference, "Jefen-Travel in Paris" VIP Cocktail Party, 2007 International Fashion Week Qingdao China Press Conference, and Sept Wolves-China Fashion Week/Ten Years of Vogue TV Special Cocktail Party.

The 1st Hi-Tec "The Path of Brands" Fashion Forum will also be held. Sponsored by the Training Center of China Fashion Association, Beijing Times Bright China Education Development Co., Ltd. and Hi-Tec China, it is intended to become a summit with great international influence in the fashion industry.

Under the tenet of "bringing in international think tank, accelerating brand development and promoting professional operation of enterprises," this forum will deliver 9 theme lectures focusing on "brand building and managing pattern." The forum will invite 11 experts from both domestic and foreign companies, including Lang Xianping, a famous economist; Catherine Cochaud, the former President of LVMH Group; Professor of South Korea's Fashion Institute of Kolon College.

Organizers believe they will have in-depth discussions on the fashion industry's development pattern, brand building strategy, digital management, visual promotion, retail service system, and boutique display design.

10th Anniversary Celebration of China Fashion Week

From only 4 fashion collections in 1997 to over 30 today; from an annual event to the event for two seasons a year (Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter); from small participation of local fashion designers and companies to the wide involvement of overseas brands and designers, China Fashion Week has experienced an extraordinary decade.

In order to review the development of China Fashion Week and make it better serve the innovation of brands, industry, and fashion lifestyle in the future, its organizing committee and China Fashion Association decided to select the Top 10 meritorious entrepreneurs, Top 10 fashion designers, Top 10 fashion models, and Top 10 fashion institutes during China Fashion Week and U-Town China Fashion Week Closing Ceremony & the 10th Anniversary for CFW Public Choice Gala.

Sponsored by Sept Wolves Fashion Co., Ltd., the committee and Sowrai will produce a TV special entitled "Sept Wolves-China Fashion Week/Ten Years of Vogue," which will be broadcast via Guangxi Satellite TV and the Internet to demonstrate the important figures and achievements of China's fashion industry.

(China.org.cn March 22, 2007)