Chinese linen gets classy twist at Perth show

Chinese linen is generally not seen as glamorous. But for Chinese designer Zhang Yichao, who took part in a fashion show in Perth, Australia, during the recent Spring Festival celebration, it can be as sophisticated as silk and brocade.

And she proved it at a fashion show in Perth organized by the China Fashion Association and Fashion Council Western Australia.

Zhang's collection displayed at the show - which also featured 12 Australian designers. Known for her bold use of colors, she was making her first foray outside China at the Perth show, comprising linen gowns and cocktail dresses in red, purple and green.

The collection made its debut in Beijing at China Fashion Week last year.

Zhang discovered Chinese linen at Chongqing Fashion Week, for which she has been art director for the past three years. She was introduced by the local government to xiabu, the handmade and dyed linen that makes use of natural materials. The fabric has been exported to Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia over the years, but it has rarely been used in the fashion industry.

So Zhang, winner of the 9th China Top Ten Fashion Designers Award and the China Best Womenswear Design Award of the Year in 2003, decided to take the lead.

Describing how she came to use Chinese linen mixed with silk and brocade to create a new look, Zhang - an executive member of the fashion art committee of the China Fashion Association - explained: "While linen is part of our cultural heritage, we have to modify it so that it can be accepted by a wider market."

The collection's designs also included Chinese elements like folding fans and porcelain.

This show is just the starting point for the fabric, Zhang says. She wants it to develop into a more commonly used material for the mass market.

Kate O'Hara, chair of Fashion Council Western Australia, says Chinese New Year celebrations have been part of Perth's cultural landscape for many decades because of its multicultural community

"Western Australia has a long history of business and trade with China, but unfortunately not much when it comes to fashion and art," she says. "So, this program meant Fashion Council WA could help celebrate the friendship with fashion, culture and art, and this is a significant step for our government and community."

Zhang was chosen to showcase her collection in Perth after O'Hara and Mariella Harvey, creative director of the Fashion Council Western Australia, saw her work at the Mercedes-Benz China Fashion Week in Beijing in October,

Fashion Council WA and the China Fashion Association plan to work closely to develop a relationship to help young designers in both countries.