The 4th China-France Fashion Week opens in Paris

China News Service, Paris, October 5th. The Sino-French fashion art static exhibition with the theme of "Between the latitude and longitude·Fashion symbiosis of intangible cultural heritage and technology" was held at the China Cultural Center in Paris on the 1st local time, and the fourth China-France Fashion Week kicked off. During the multi-day event, Fashion Week will showcase the exchanges and innovations in the fashion field between China and France through art static exhibitions, fashion forums, fashion shows and other forms.

The static exhibition of Sino-French fashion art brings together 26 exhibits from 9 brands and institutions from China and France, and multiple groups of Chinese and foreign designers’ works are on display. Chinese designers use Suzhou embroidery, ribbon embroidery and other techniques to create on silk and wool fabrics, combining exquisite Chinese craftsmanship with French clothing silhouettes; there are also Chinese brands that integrate cheongsam techniques with traditional fabrics such as Xiangyun gauze to create advanced custom clothing with oriental classical elements; French designers draw inspiration from traditional Chinese clothing and architecture, transforming cloud shoulders, ink and other elements into sculptural contemporary fashion styles.

Zhu Xiaoyun, deputy director of the China Cultural Center in Paris, said at the opening ceremony of China-France Fashion Week that in recent years, more and more Chinese clothing brands have entered Paris fashion shows, reflecting the deep cultural recognition and understanding between China and France. This year's fashion week attracted more young design forces to participate, showing that Sino-French cultural exchanges are moving from mutual appreciation to mutual inspiration and co-creation.

At the "East-West Co-Weaving·Design Without Borders" international fashion design forum held after the opening ceremony, many Chinese and French fashion industry figures discussed topics such as the relationship between artistic innovation and cultural tradition, the balance between global vision and local craftsmanship, and cross-cultural creation.

Jamila Sangaré, representative of Fabriquéà Paris, the French partner organization of China-France Fashion Week, said at the forum that "Made in Paris" is not only a label, but also a collection of workshops, tailors and craftsmen passed down from generation to generation. They make Paris the world's creative capital. She emphasized that craftsmanship has no future if it is closed off. This exhibition reflects this concept. In her view, cross-cultural exchanges and continuous cultural connections are very important. In the future, China and France can further deepen cooperation in the field of design, while showing French craftsmanship, and bringing more Chinese art and traditional skills into the international perspective. Emmanuel Benabou, founder of The Twenty Six, a French enterprise artificial intelligence development platform, said that artificial intelligence can be an important auxiliary tool for designers, but it cannot replace truly creative designers; France has rich experience in brand building, while China has a vibrant market and innovation environment, and both parties can further leverage their respective advantages. Fashion couture producer Greg Alexander believes that Chinese fashion is moving from "Made in China" to "Designed in China." How to find a balance between globalization and local roots is a topic that Paris couture production and Chinese creative forces can jointly explore.

China-France Fashion Week was founded in 2023 to provide a platform for equal dialogue, exchange and co-creation for practitioners in the Chinese and French fashion industry. This fashion week is co-organized by the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris and China International Culture Group, and has strong support from the China Fashion Designers Association, France's "Made in Paris", the French International Model Association, and Paris Fashion Communication Group. Fashion Week activities will last until the 5th, during which a number of Chinese brand fashion shows will be held in different locations in Paris.