• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.545-558
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• 2021

This research analyzed the Chinese style design embodied in the collections of the new generation of fashion designers shown during the Shanghai Fashion Week to improve the understanding of Chinese style and the modernization of Chinese design. The research questions were 1) studying the development of the Chinese fashion industry chronologically and investing young designers' current situation, 2) investigating young designers' awareness of Chinese style and analyzing Chinese style design in collections. A literature and case study were conducted as the research method. The literature study focused on the books about the Chinese fashion industry and history, newspaper, articles, and so on. The case study was conducted among 63 Chinese style collections in 2016-2020 SFW by investigating fashion magazine reviews, articles, and so on. The findings are as follows: 1) Young Chinese fashion designers' awareness of Chinese style has three characteristics; the nonmaterial tendency from decreasing stereotyped images, combination of traditional culture and local youth culture, and commercialization with trends. 2) Chinese elements, including natural, character, and cultural elements were predominantly used in the concept, pattern, and shape. Nonmaterial characteristics were identified in concept, cultural combination characteristics in concept, shape, color, material, and pattern, and trend commercialization in shape, color, and pattern. In conclusion, Chinese young fashion designers had strong national consciousness and new awareness of Chinese style fashion in decreasing the stereotyped images of China. Thus, they used more varied expressions. Meanwhile, they faced difficulties in expressing nonmaterial Chinese elements by balancing them with Chinese style and globalization.