Xiao Qingxin: Small Fresh Street Style and Beyond
Poster Number
1
Format
Poster Presentation
Faculty Mentor Name
Courtney Lehmann
Faculty Mentor Department
English
Abstract/Artist Statement
In the context of greater society, fashion is often overlooked and written off as frivolous and unimportant. Yet when properly contextualized and analyzed, fashion trends are often able to reflect and reveal such significant socioeconomic components as countries’ economic expansions and recessions, as well as their many varied cultural nuances. China, the most populous country in the world, also incidentally has one of the world’s fastest growing economies. After steady financial and economic growth over the past few decades, China’s middle class has developed into a prosperous stratum. With their rising prosperity has come a steady appetite for the latest and greatest fashions. A 2009 report by consulting firm McKinsey & Co. states that 80 percent of luxury consumers in China are under 45. By 2015, McKinsey & Co. predicts Chinese consumers will account for more than 20 percent of the global luxury market. Thus, the urban Chinese fashion market holds much relevance in the context of the growth of the global economy. This presentation reflects photojournalistic research into contemporary Chinese middle class urban fashion, conducted in the city of Beijing this past summer. Specifically, this presentation analyzes uniquely Chinese street style trends, including the xiao qingxin of the title, taking into account two fashion shows at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology in an effort to identify the extent of influence classical Eastern styles, as well as contemporary Western culture, has on Chinese fashion today. Additionally, this presentation will examine what the rapid growth of China’s middle class signifies for domestic and international fashion prospects in the future.
Location
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
Start Date
30-4-2016 10:00 AM
End Date
30-4-2016 12:00 PM
Xiao Qingxin: Small Fresh Street Style and Beyond
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
In the context of greater society, fashion is often overlooked and written off as frivolous and unimportant. Yet when properly contextualized and analyzed, fashion trends are often able to reflect and reveal such significant socioeconomic components as countries’ economic expansions and recessions, as well as their many varied cultural nuances. China, the most populous country in the world, also incidentally has one of the world’s fastest growing economies. After steady financial and economic growth over the past few decades, China’s middle class has developed into a prosperous stratum. With their rising prosperity has come a steady appetite for the latest and greatest fashions. A 2009 report by consulting firm McKinsey & Co. states that 80 percent of luxury consumers in China are under 45. By 2015, McKinsey & Co. predicts Chinese consumers will account for more than 20 percent of the global luxury market. Thus, the urban Chinese fashion market holds much relevance in the context of the growth of the global economy. This presentation reflects photojournalistic research into contemporary Chinese middle class urban fashion, conducted in the city of Beijing this past summer. Specifically, this presentation analyzes uniquely Chinese street style trends, including the xiao qingxin of the title, taking into account two fashion shows at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology in an effort to identify the extent of influence classical Eastern styles, as well as contemporary Western culture, has on Chinese fashion today. Additionally, this presentation will examine what the rapid growth of China’s middle class signifies for domestic and international fashion prospects in the future.