One Elle of a night
- Source: Global Times
- [10:20 July 20 2010]
- Comments
Anna Sui is named Fashion Designer of the Year . Photo: Courtesy of Elle Magazine China
By Mao Jiayu
This year's Elle Style Awards offered further proof, if it were needed, of an increasing confidence in China's home-grown fashion and design brands. The industry's elite - including all 42 Elle global editors-in-chief - rolled up to the Waldorf Astoria on the Bund for a night of cocktails and air-kissing. But besides the predictable gushing and backslapping, the event highlighted the more serious point that China is now moving beyond its second-tier status in the fashion world. In recognition of this, the magazine has introduced the Elle "China Stars", awarded to native designers and labels for excellence throughout the industry. The award for Best Style went to hair and make-up stylists Tony Studio; Best Outfit to Zhejiang-based clothing retailer Elegant Prosper; Best Jewelry to Beijing's Hiersun, known for its "I Do" range of wedding rings; Best New Product to cosmetics giant Naruko; and Best Car Design to the CC created by FAW-Volkswagen. One of the night's top awards went to industry veteran Anna Sui, who, since stag-ing her first runway show back in 1991, has gone on to create a fashion empire worth $400 million. Sui, 45, took home the Fashion Designer of the Year award for the first time.
"I didn't expect so many people in China to actually like my brand. This is incredible for me," the Detroit-born designer told the Global Times.
Sui was quick to praise her fellow Chinese-American designer, Alexander Wang, one of a small group who is spearheading the next generation of fashion leaders. And she also paid tribute to the very singular style of young women in Shanghai (Sui's mother was born in the city). "I think they are very alert and quick when it comes to picking up trends. And it seems like every girl has her own unique definition of what constitutes style," she said.
Beauty specialist Niu Er, whose Taiwan-based Naruko cosmetics brand won the Best New Product (for its Naruko d'Lux range) told the Global Times that the secret to success in design is an "dedication to constant innovation." Nicknamed the Godfather of Beauty in the fashion press, the 43-year-old could still pass for a man 15 years younger, but he admits this isn't something that comes naturally. "I had quite bad acne as a young man which made me think seriously about professional skin care. This made me determined to study cosmetics so that I could help other people in the same situation."
And despite the proliferation of shanzhai products in the Chinese cosmetics market, Niu Er insists he is not in the business of "just copying the packaging of internationally famous beauty brands in order to confuse consumers." Dedicated to his own research and development, Niu Er spoke excitedly about a kind of lotus his own R&D team have discovered in southern China and which they hope to use for a new range of moisturizing products. Set up in 2003, Niu Er's web-based company has achieved dizzying growth from the start, with annual sales reaching 250 million yuan ($37 million) by 2008. "We are still a relatively new brand, so I'm pleased to be given this China Stars award. It's nice to know that our professionalism and trustworthiness has been recognized by the media and by our peers in the industry."
