Mao suit, the Chairman chic...

The Mao suit once looked like this. And this. But arise the new Mao Suit.

A collection by students reflects the wider trend of Chairman chic being ‘a(chǎn) la mode’. You’ll have spotted some changes, though.

What girl doesn’t like to rustle through outfits..and here I was… behind the scenes.. at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology…picking out a little number for my interviewee.. who was set to tell me why students are putting the Mao Suit on the catwalk… after dressing for the interview, of course

Juanjuan Li: ‘Mao suit is very popular in Chinese heart. This is not just for our 50th anniversary but a very good chance to express our Chinese culture’.

But this time the expression is hi-tech. The designer’s drawings reveal the secrets behind sharp cutting. Photos can now be superimposed on fabric. With such style details, the new Mao Suit is aimed mostly at women. Which suits me. I’ve snuck behind the racks. You never know who’s watching..when you try on Mao Suits in a fashion college.

I think there are a few modern touches. It’s hard to imagine the Chairman ruling over China jangling.

Maybe something not so loud?

This one would be perfect for a banquet in any era. I think this one is my favourite.

I left this for a punk Mao. Looks good on her though.

But where does this go? In a China which loves Western clothes, can the Mao Suit make a come back? Step one, they say here, is this collection. Step two, attracting interest from shops. Step Three, getting a celebrity to wear a suit – and Chinese women will follow. That’s a lot of steps, in what could be a Long March for the modern Mao suit…but then, it’s been on one of those before…

Story: Linda Kennedy

Camera: Ren Cong

Video: Linda Kennedy

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