Chinese invasion - An economic and cultural Revolution taking over the world ?....

Photographer Amelia Troubridge 

The Chinese are a potent economic force, made even more influential due to the fact that the 2nd generation wants to spend spend spend! The squirrelling prudency of their parents has been rejected as the fruits of the last 20 years of growth has been handed down to the children of consumer manufacturing giant China. It all started when the British handed back Hong Kong to the Chinese government in 1997. 
As the new open market of China gained confidence after the Tianamen square riots, gradually more and more extreme profit hungry companies were seduced by the cheap labour in Chinese textile production. British companies such as Mark and Spencer that had prided itself on making 'at home', eventually weakened and moved production over there. Burberry a then British luxury brand was one of the first to go Chinese ! Today Stella McCartney and most of the top luxury brands are made over there. The irony is that the Chinese textile Baron's off spring want to buy demi couture and there is cache in buying non home 'produced' British fashion brands such as Mulberry, Ozwald Boetang, Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen.
Conspicuous consumption, and 'more is more' two catch phrases of the 80s for the rest of world are now in favour in Asia. The fashion and music of the 1980s is de rigueur again in London and New York as a retro nostagic memory trip for the baby boomers but it is in China that the nouveau riche are living it - It is their time! 
The more known a brand the better for the Chinese. The Chinese are savvy investors, whilst their children wear their wealth, their parents are buying up key real estate in top tier property zones in all the key cities in the world, London, Paris, New York and even places like Vancouver ( a short hop over for the Chinese ) are being targeted. Don't under estimate the Chinese, they are shrewd, charming and very focused on world domination. Why else would Boris Johnson want to court them ? London's economy depends on wealthy international visitors. 

Copy Schelay McCarter

LFW SS2014 PING HE'S impressive debut collection...

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Timeless style and enduring elegance, 

The hair and make-up was perfect for  the lady like collection by Bill Watson and the Tony and Guy Artistic team.

Ping and her make- up coordinator Jo Sugar and one of her talented team

Ping and husband back stage after show

Ping used to be part of the Alexander McQueen design team under Sarah Burton and you could tell by the exquisite attention to detail in her designs. Pings designs were flattering and lady like with just the right twist of originality to make the collection different enough to stand out. She told me that she has a real love of architecture, and form following function. These clothes looked demure and had a seductive emotional functionality .
I had in the few moments of viewing made the decision that I might want to wear the black leather jacket or a stylishly simple cream dress. Why? because I could see that Ping understands what looks good on women. Employing contradictory concepts her vision sees soft and strong, elegant and powerful elements combined in a subtle classic way.
The PingHe woman she told me is strong and feminine, desirable to men and admired by other women. Ping's oriental origins could be seen in some of her shapely dress silhouettes. 
A luxurious and indulgent collection for a woman who wants an effortless wardrobe of easy to wear statement pieces Pinghe added an element of personalisation with a white waistcoat with a detachable leather peplum, and a dress with leather wings that can be fastened or left open. I liked the lazer cut details, hand finished stitches and a hint of lace in the linings of the clothes. Ping told me that her collection is made in China by skilled artisans.
Key pieces include a peplum leather jacket in white leather with accents of Python, and a strapless mini dress with peekaboo pockets with cut out details emerging from the hemline.
Each piece had the TLC of couture, a luxury finish that PINGHE has she hopes become increasingly synonymous with her name. An aspirational vision for her brand!

http://bypinghe.com/lookbook/ss14/

Copy and photography Schelay