Fashion in 21st Century China: Design, Education, and Business (Springer Series in Fashion Business)

This book explores the dynamic landscape of fashion in China since the beginning of the 21st century through an integrated perspective. The book considers key questions related to the changes in China’s fashion dynamics driven largely by the shifts in the mindset of Chinese consumers due to the current sociocultural contexts. To provide an understanding of these important shifts, this three-part monograph pays close attention to the new generation of Chinese fashion designers and consumers. The book explores in detail related topics such as, how today’s Chinese consumers relate to foreign brands, the meaning of apparel brands as identity symbols or cultural signs to contemporary young consumers, the attractiveness of Western fashion designers and brands in the eyes of current Chinese consumers as compared to past consumers, and how brands could adapt to the online-centered consumption behavior. The book serves as an insightful update on the Chinese fashion landscape for researchers, practitioners and passionate followers of the evolution of China’s fashion landscape. Preface 6 Contents 8 Editors and Contributors 10 Part I New Generation Design 12 1 Fashion Design in Altermodern China 13 1.1 A New Critical Discourse 13 1.2 Altermodern China 14 1.3 Beyond Hybridity 17 1.4 Brand Neutral 19 1.5 Conclusion: Local, Global, and Multiple 22 References 23 2 Projecting Authenticity with Cultural Heritage: Chinoiserie of Contemporary Chinese Fashion Designer Brands 25 2.1 Introduction 25 2.2 Crafting Cultural Authenticity 26 2.2.1 Iconic Authenticity 28 2.3 Projecting Style and Coolness 28 2.3.1 Core Values of Western Fashion: Individualism, Authenticity, and Coolness 29 2.3.2 Cooling “Old Fashion” 30 2.4 Beyond Confucian Virtues of Mean and Harmony: Alternative Cultural Authenticity 31 2.4.1 Tapping into the Rebellious and Hilarious Arenas of Chinese Cultural Heritage 31 2.4.2 Designers’ Influence on Brands 33 2.5 Internationalizing the Brand Through Hybrid Inauthenticity 33 2.5.1 Chinoiserie Design Based on the Perspective of World Citizens 33 2.5.2 Reviving Traditions in a Light-Hearted Way: Images, Metaphors, and Fun 35 2.5.3 Crafting International Brand Image with Cross-Field Alliances 36 2.6 The Power and Integrity of Constructive Authenticity 38 2.7 Conclusion 39 References 40 3 Multisemiotic Discourse on Fashion and Clothing in Contemporary China 44 3.1 Introduction 44 3.2 Literature Review 45 3.2.1 Contemporary Chinese Fashion Designers 45 3.2.2 Social Semiotic Theories 46 3.3 Research Design 47 3.4 Fashion and Clothing as Multisemiotic Discourse 48 3.4.1 Nature of Semiotic Resources 49 3.4.2 Selection of Semiotic Resources 53 3.4.3 Manipulation of Semiotic Resources 58 3.4.4 Semiotic Resources Within Social Context 59 3.5 Conclusion 61 Appendices 62 References 62 Part II Industry, Creativity, Education 64 4 “Live Your Best IP” 20 years in Chinese Fashion 65 4.1 1997–2005: A Landscape Where Anything is Possible 66 4.2 2007–2014: Questioning the Chinese Approach to Creativity and Individuality 68 4.3 2015–2016: Inside the Chinese Fashion Industry, Bring Your Best IP 71 4.4 2016–2019: Global Design Thinking in China 73 4.5 WeDesign Onwards, Building a Brave New World of Chinese Design 74 5 That Which is not Taught: A Conversation Recalling the Delivery of Creative Workshops at Tsinghua University Academy of Arts and Design Between 2006 and 2019, and the Emergence of China as a Country of Designers 76 5.1 Introduction 76 5.2 Then and Now: Context and Content/Teaching and Learning 77 5.2.1 The Creative Practice Project 82 5.2.2 Academy Wide Option Project 84 5.3 Internationalisation 87 5.3.1 Home Grown 88 5.4 Conclusion: A Summary of Our Conversation 90 References 90 6 The Identity of the Emerging Young Chinese Fashion Designers and the Role of Fashion Design Education 92 6.1 The Rise of Chinese Fashion Designers 92 6.2 Methodology 93 6.3 The Identity of the Third Generation of Chinese Fashion Designers: Heterogeneous 96 6.3.1 Embracing the Multi-culture 96 6.3.2 Deconstruction as a Main Technique 97 6.3.3 The Fun Emotion 100 6.4 A Brief History of “Fashion”, “Design” and Fashion Design Education in China 101 6.5 The Centralized Chinese Education System and How It Affects the Designers (see footnote 1) 103 6.6 The Role of Creativity: Whether the Younger Generation is More Creative Than Their Predecessors (see footnote 1) 104 6.7 Conclusion 107 References 108 7 Fashion Events in China Today: New Models for Fashion Education, Industry-Academia Partnerships, and Fashion Promotion 110 7.1 Introduction 110 7.2 Methodology 111 7.3 BIFT Fashion Week: A New Model for Project-Based Learning 112 7.3.1 Background of BFW 112 7.3.2 Project Management 112 7.3.3 Cross-Course Collaboration 114 7.4 China Graduate Fashion Week: A New Model for Industry-Academia Partnership 116 7.4.1 Background of China Graduate Fashion Week 116 7.4.2 Project Management 117 7.4.3 Industry-Academia Partnership 118 7.5 China Fashion Week: A New Model for Fashion Promotion 122 7.5.1 Background of China Fashion Week 122 7.5.2 Project Management 123 7.5.3 Promoting Role in China’s Fashion Industry 123 7.6 Conclusions 126 References 128 Part III Marketing, Consumption 129 8 Are Mass-Market Digital Strategies an Oxymoron in the Luxury Fashion Industry? An Insight from China 130 8.1 Introduction 130 8.2 The Chinese Luxury Fashion Industry, Its Consumers, and Digital Marketing 131 8.2.1 The Chinese Luxury Fashion Industry—Emerging Digital Trends 131 8.2.2 The Chinese Luxury Fashion Consumers—Generation Y (Millennials) and Generation Z 132 8.2.3 Digital Marketing and Chinese Luxury Fashion Consumers 134 8.3 Conclusion 141 References 142 9 American Products in China: How Much is “Made in USA” Worth? 146 9.1 Introduction 146 9.2 Literature Review 148 9.2.1 Effect of COO and Brand on Perceived Price 148 9.2.2 Effect of COO and Brand on Purchase Intention 149 9.2.3 Quantifying the COO Effects on Perceived Price 150 9.3 Methodology 151 9.4 Data Analyses and Results 153 9.4.1 Validity 153 9.4.2 Preliminary Results 153 9.4.3 Two-Way Repeated MANOVA 153 9.4.4 Regression 155 9.5 Conclusions, Implications, Limitations, and Future Studies 156 References 158 10 Disclosure of Mainland Chinese Youngsters in Hong Kong—The Acculturation and Consumption 162 10.1 Introduction 162 10.2 Literature Review 163 10.3 Research Methodology 165 10.4 Research Findings 167 10.4.1 Food, Book, and Unique Design Products Are the Top Three Categories of Consumption Goods Taken from Hometown 167 10.4.2 Feeling of Freedom and Independence 169 10.4.3 Finding “Myself” in Fashion Consumption—The Choice of Clothes 170 10.4.4 Lifestyle Exhibited by Consumption—Luxury Life is not Necessarily Related to Luxury Goods but Experience 171 10.5 Discussion 173 10.5.1 Symbolic Consuming Goods to Construct the Persistence of Culture 173 10.5.2 Balance of Belongingness to Form the Uniqueness in Acculturation Process 174 10.5.3 Distinction and the Consumption of Lifestyle 176 10.6 Conclusion 178 References 179 Index 183 "This book explores the dynamic landscape of fashion in China since the beginning of the 21st century through an integrated perspective. The book considers key questions related to the changes in China's fashion dynamics driven largely by the shifts in the mindset of Chinese consumers due to the current sociocultural contexts. To provide an understanding of these important shifts, this three-part monograph pays close attention to the new generation of Chinese fashion designers and consumers. The book explores in detail related topics such as, how today's Chinese consumers relate to foreign brands, the meaning of apparel brands as identity symbols or cultural signs to contemporary young consumers, the attractiveness of Western fashion designers and brands in the eyes of current Chinese consumers as compared to past consumers, and how brands could adapt to the online-centered consumption behavior. The book serves as an insightful update on the Chinese fashion landscape for researchers, practitioners and passionate followers of its evolution."--Provided by publisher