Growing up with style
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Dong says she will use the strongest threads and the best techniques in fastening the buttons of a child's garment. A mother of two children herself, Dong says when she creates a garment, she is extremely careful with the details.
When creating a collection of children's wear, a designer also has to consider its "social impact".
"For example, I will never allow my designing team to create sexy or hot collections. They should always be positive, innocent and beautiful," Dong says.
The China Fashion Week's Yang illustrates that in China, there are more specific regulations on children's wear design.
The industry has become more mature in the past 10 years. The biggest difference is that these producers are beginning to understand the notion of running a brand, according to Yang.
"Most children's wear companies are based in Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. They used to be manufacturing factories of international brands, but over the past two decades, they have noticed the market's potential, and begun to form their own brands," Yang says.
It is a large market, too. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the production of children's garments in the Chinese mainland has been growing since 2008. Chinakids.com estimates that the country's capacity of buying children's wear has already reached 90 billion yuan ($15 billion) at present, and the demand is increasing by 10 percent each year.
Chinese mainland designers are not the only ones eyeing this huge market, foreign labels are also taking a bite.
For example, big labels like Marc Jacobs and Jean Paul Gaultier have children's wear lines. During the Fashion Week, Swarovski has also introduced its Little Sparkling Moments fashion show to China for the first time.
Little Sparkling Moments has held fashion shows in New York and Italy. It features children's garments from different big labels, but complete with Swarovski crystals. Its fashion show in Beijing introduced Little Marc Jacobs, Junior Gaultier, Tartine et Chocolat, Caramel Baby & Doll, Moschino Teen, and Richmond Junior.
Hermann Winkler, senior vice-president of Sales Operations, Asia North of Swarovski Professional, said before the show that children's wear are becoming more sophisticated and should be diversified with different elements. With the fast-growing market in China, it looks like now is the right time to introduce Little Sparkling Moments here.
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