Xiamen seeks ways to nurture fashion industry

As the fashion industry booms in Xiamen, more manpower and intelligence need to be injected into the sector, experts said during the Xiamen International Fashion Week Forum on Saturday.

The contributions of such industry experts "is expected to bring in a so-called 'chemistry complex' that will transform the city", said Wang Jun, forum organizer and executive chairman of the China Fashion Forum.

Ji Wenbo, a renowned fashion designer and president of the Xiamen International Fashion Week Organization Committee, opened the forum.

Ji has lived in Xiamen for 20 years. Having traveled around the world, Ji chose to settle in Xiamen, a city he thinks will be a future destination of fashion.

"In Xiamen, we've got culture, history and a fashion industry chain," he said. "Now we have both international and local companies who are willing to come to city, which will be invaluable for the future of the city."

As someone who started stitching his designs himself, he said the support provided by the government and the local community is tremendous in Xiamen.

Since the city was compared to Antwerp, the European fashion center, by the Chinese website of The New York Times, it has generated much talk about its designers and its future in fashion.

"Like the designers in Antwerp, we should keep our feet grounded. We also look forward to forging strategic cooperation with Antwerp," Ji said.

Fashion week is only a start, Ji said, and would be followed by a series of related activities.

He said he is looking forward to seeing a fashion academy in Xiamen that would nurture designers and industry professionals.

Anne Chapelle, fashion mogul and owner of the Ann Demulemeester brand, was invited to share how she selects young designers and what they can do to stand out in the industry.

Masayuki Kurokama, renowned Japanese architect and product designer, talked of the Oriental history and culture that influences his designs.

"To see the future, we should probably look back," he said. "China has a history of thousands of years. We can look back to see how people should live their lives today."

Kurokama also shared his philosophy of design, which emphasizes elimination, with the city's young designers.

"It might look like you didn't design at all, but that is the value of design. You can only find your own characteristics through the process of elimination."

Mao Jihong, founder of fashion brand Exception, introduced his project Fangsuo Commune, an innovative book store.

"Sometimes I resent the word 'fashion' because it makes us restless. For me, fashion is all about making clothes with your heart," he said.

"By running Fangsuo Commune, we began to have real connection with its people. The question is if you can bring them real value and if you can contribute to the culture and spirit of the city."

He encouraged people to put down their phones and get their hands dirty in a physical space. Two million people visit Fangsuo Commune in Guangzhou every year, while its store in Chengdu receives more than 3 million.

Hong Huang, magazine publisher and founder of fashion boutique BNC, said she expects Xiamen to be a place where local designers can find their own fashion language that is independent from the Western system.

"Xiamen is one of the few Chinese cities that have not gone through cosmetic surgery," she says. "The city has kept its original lifestyle, which I hope will breed designers who have their own expression."