Ricostru's Fall/Winter menswear features nubby sweaters, collarless jackets and long overcoats, over casually un-tucked shirts in icy-gray shades. Photos Provided to China Daily

The womenswear contrasts matte and shiny textures in black, with a range of warm colors from wine to pink juxtaposing cold blues and whites.

Rico Manchit Au experiments with her fashion label Ricostru to reconstruct Guangzhou's reputation as a manufacturing base into that of a design hive. Rebecca Lo sneaks a peek.

Guangzhou's identity as the world's manufacturing capital is shifting from production to design. T.I.T. Creative Industry Zone in Haizhu district is located in the former Guangzhou Textile Machinery Factory, a site with 1950s red-brick industrial buildings. Like its arty counterparts Redtory and Beijing's 798, T.I.T. is a government-initiated incubator for hot young fashion and industrial designers.

Along a leafy lane with weathered railroad ties and herringbone-patterned paving stones is The Fashion Door.

The three-story boutique is finished with the raw concrete prevalent throughout T.I.T., and its simplicity mimics that of Ricostru's apparel for men and women, available in a pop-up store on its ground floor.

Ricostru is the label founded by young fashion designer Rico Manchit Au. The Guangzhou native studied in Shanghai and Milan, and earned her master's in fashion design from Istituto Marangoni Milano in 2009.

"Ricostru" is derived from the Italian word for reconstruction - "ricostuzione". It refers to how each person has his or her unique will and individual creativity, and is the underlying theme of Au's creations, she says.

"I just simply loved drawing when I was a child, but I didn't know then that I was going to be a fashion designer," Au says.

"When I studied design, I began to appreciate every stage of it.

"I initially studied in Shanghai because it is a very special city that embraces both traditional Chinese and modern Western elements. Its complexity makes up its unique culture. It was a good place to nurture something new.

Milan is undoubtedly one of the fashion capitals of the world, she says.

"It has a long history in fashion education," the designer explains.

"The city itself is beautiful with a lot of history. I learned not only useful techniques but was also inspired by its environment. The city taught me its spirit: to be diligent, sophisticated and detailed. It taught me how to combine design and business well."

Au set up her studio in Guangzhou in 2010 and established her ready-to-wear label Ricostru in 2011.

Her flattering structural forms, attention to the smallest details and unusual juxtaposition of avant-garde materials have won a following.

Au's concept is to return to basics by giving men and women a minimal and clean aesthetic to allow their own personalities to shine through.

Excellent tailoring means her clothes fall gracefully, allowing tantalizing glimpses of bare flesh beneath sheer fabrics while keeping other areas modestly covered, she explains. One of her signature flourishes is a reveal in bright, contrasting colors to elongate lines of the body in unpredictable ways.

Au was one of five Chinese designers invited to Beijing Fashion Week 2011's Vogue Talent Corner and the only Chinese designer who showed her work at Milan Fashion Week 2012's Vogue Talent Corner.

"Both were valuable experiences," Au recalls.

"I had the opportunity to share my ideas with some important people in the fashion industry. They, in turn, gave me professional advice, including in the areas of commercial promotion. I gained a preliminary understanding of how European media works and its various channels. Their comments were like a shot in the arm."

Last July, Nina Ricci asked Au to design a mini collection inspired by its fragrance L'Air du Temps.

"They wanted to collaborate with emerging Chinese designers and artists on the theme of love and freedom," Au says.

"I based the collection on that and the perfume's packaging."

The designs were exhibited in Shanghai.

Ricostru's Spring/Summer 2013 collection features pastel shades of pink, baby blue and sorbet yellow with ample use of white for casual and swimwear.

Eveningwear includes black and gray with one-shoulder gowns and shiny textures. Hemlines range from floor-length for eveningwear gowns to micro-minis with layers of sheer netting.

The Fall/Winter 2013-14 collection debuted this past March at Youz Design Center in Beijing.

It was Ricostru's first formal fashion show, with fabric sponsored by Italian luxury supplier Alcantara. Music was courtesy of up-and-coming Chinese musician Ding Ke and reinforced the show's theme of "Cold as Fire, Hot as Ice".

Her latest collection was inspired by Iceland's high-contrast landscapes and extremes between its active volcanoes and pristine glaciers.

Ricostru's fall/winter line is intended to - like nature - accent the magic light works in northern climes.

Silhouettes are exaggerated, with multiple layers and color-blocking to reinforce contrasts.

The menswear features nubby sweaters, collarless jackets and long overcoats over casually un-tucked shirts in icy gray shades, with reveals in shades like fiery orange along the arms.

The womenswear contrasts matte and shiny textures in black, with a range of warm colors from wine to pink juxtaposing cold blues and whites.

Au believes her customers care about quality of life and have discerning tastes that reflect their ways of living.

She hopes to create designs that stand out in an international arena, and encourages other Chinese to follow suit.

"I think the most important thing is to show our own creativity, ability and the possibilities of what we can achieve," she explains.

"When people talk about garments from China, the thing that comes to mind first is 'made in China'. They think manufacturing - not design. Sometimes, 'made in China' is equated with lower quality."

That's something she aspires to change.

"We hope to show more possibilities for 'made in China' and 'designed in China'."

Contact the writer at sundayed@chinadaily.com.cn.

(China Daily 08/11/2013 page13)