One of China's hottest up-and-coming fashion labels, VMAJOR, stole the show at Australia's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on Thursday in Sydney.
The 2014 winner of the International Woolmark Prize for Asia in fashion, VMAJOR hails from the city of Shenzhen, and is led by its innovative yet brilliant designer Victor Zhu, who stunned the crowd with his "urban gypsy" collection.
Zhu said he is proud to be a young fashion pioneer from China when he gave an exclusive interview to Xinhua backstage at the event, hoping more Chinese designers continue to thrive in a more "cosmopolitan, globalized world."
"People are more open. The younger generation can go abroad to study and then come back and can express something new to represent China," Zhu said.
The designer said he is excited about the direction the Chinese fashion industry is now taking, as experimentation and self expression take precedence over trends and fast fashion.
"The 90's generation, or younger generation embrace different cultures and create their own identity," Zhu said.
Zhu first entered the fashion scene as an intern at the global fashion house Vivienne Westwood, and graduated from the London College of Fashion in 2008, before returning to China's manufacturing capital, Shenzhen, to launch his label VMAJOR in 2012.
Over the past three years, VMAJOR has gone from strength to strength, and has served as one of the best examples of China's emerging fashion industry that is being wholly created and developed by homegrown talent.
His latest collection on show at Fashion Week featured his latest foray into experimentation, which he calls the "urban gypsy" look, and the people who packed the hall at Carriageworks in Sydney to watch the event, were similarly impressed by the designs.
"Gypsies you know, they don't have their own home, they go to different worlds," Zhu said.
"It represents us right now as global citizens, we go to different places. That's what I've thought about this, and I express that through my creations."
Zhu was thrilled at being able to represent China at the prestigious fashion event, and said that this was the "most enjoyable show I've done so far," and is looking forward to getting a chance to explore Australia for the first time.
"I haven't been to that many places yet, but I want to go to Bondi Beach and the Opera House," Zhu said.
