CHINA: BEIJING FASHIONS INFLUENCED BY IMPERIAL HISTORY/ CUSTOMERS BUY TRADITIONAL CHINESE JACKETS
Record ID:
858265
CHINA: BEIJING FASHIONS INFLUENCED BY IMPERIAL HISTORY/ CUSTOMERS BUY TRADITIONAL CHINESE JACKETS
- Title: CHINA: BEIJING FASHIONS INFLUENCED BY IMPERIAL HISTORY/ CUSTOMERS BUY TRADITIONAL CHINESE JACKETS
- Date: 6th February 2002
- Summary: (L!3)BEIJING, CHINA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) WIDE OF CHINESE FABRIC SHOP SCU ROLLS OF SILK FABRIC SMV COUPLE CHOOSING FABRIC SMV ASSISTANT SPREADING OUT FABRIC ON COUNTER SCU ASSISTANT CUTTING FABRIC SMV TAILOR MEASURING CUSTOMER SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHEN FENG, CUSTOMER, SAYING: "I saw the APEC leaders on TV. They were all dressed up in these jackets, and they looked so good. My brothers and sisters wanted to each have one to celebrate my mother's 70th birthday." SMV PEOPLE LOOKING AT SILK FABRIC ON DISPLAY SMV SHOP ASSISTANT MEASURING CLOTH
- Embargoed: 21st February 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BEIJING AND SHANGHAI, CHINA
- City:
- Country: China
- Topics: Business,Economy,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVACF9S6UQGRTYN1M0H1F2ULLNEP
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: China is taking a step back into fashion history as traditional clothing makes a colourful comeback.
In post-revolutionary China, elegant dresses were consigned to the fashion dustbin.
Instead, the spartan blue Mao suit became the favoured form of dress -- and for a while it seemed as if Chinese couture would never recover.
But history has a way of reasserting itself.
The sleek lines and rich silks of Chinese traditional clothes are making a comeback and it's not just among Western designers dabbling in China chic -- now, ordinary Chinese are rediscovering a taste for the exotic dress of their ancestors.
In the run-up to this year's Spring Festival held on February 12, fabric shops and tailors in Beijing are struggling to cope with a massive demand for traditional clothes.
Wang Shunqi (pron: Wang Shun-chee) is just one of many buying a traditional jacket ahead of the Lunar New Year.
"Spring Festival is coming soon, so my daughter insisted on buying me this jacket. Wearing it makes the holiday more cheerful and festive," Wang said.
Designers are even beginning to experiment with newer and racier takes on the familiar old jackets in the hope of attracting the younger market.
The ploy seems to be working.
Shop assistants say that in recent months, demand has surged so much that they can barely keep up.
Shop assistant Li Xin (pron: Lee Shin) said: "We assistants don't even have time to have lunch, because it is too busy. Sometimes people are eager to try on jackets as soon as we put them on display. We have to work extra hours because of the feverish demand. On our busiest days we can sell over a hundred jackets," said Li.
And the reason for the sudden surge in demand? Many point the finger at last year's APEC summit in Shanghai when world leaders donned Chinese traditional jackets in a range of colours.
Since then, Chinese of all ages have sought to mimic the leaders -- and in turn, revive a piece of China's fashion history.
Customer Chen Feng (pron: Chen Fung) said: "I saw the APEC leaders on TV. They were all dressed up in these jackets, and they looked so good. So my brothers and sisters hope to have one each to celebrate my mother's 70th birthday," said Chen.
Setting off fireworks and eating dumplings have been the usual activities to usher in the New Year -- this year families can add a new tradition into the mix. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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