China might still be struggling shaking its stereotype for poor quality and fast turnaround fashion, but this year one Chinese designer proved all those prejudiced wrong at first glance when debuting in Paris. Uma Wang is well on her way to be China’s new promise, consistently producing high-quality products and collections that balance fashion with functionality. Particularly skilled in mixing different fabrics and textures, she stands out by creating simple but strong garments with subtle detailing.

written by Esther Muñoz Grootveld

Wang is a new name in international fashion, but she is definitely not a beginner. The 38-year old designer studied at China Textile University and at Central Saint Martins. She worked as an in-house designer for several Chinese labels for 10 years, before starting her own label. Her ‘real’ education, so she claims herself in an interview, came when an employer sent her to a knitting factory to learn the knitwear trade. One can imagine that working in a factory in China is not exactly a walk in the park, but Wang took the experience to develop her knowledge about different yarns, machines and functional steps to take to finish a knitwear garment.

Her amazing talent for knitwear is obvious when walking into her boutique in Xintiandi Style in Shanghai. Her pieces, many by hand, combine different knitting techniques and fabrics. Her work has very strikingly been described as ‘textural landscapes that manage to communicate both strength and fragility’. Although Wang’s collection has a strong European feel to it – with references to Martin Margiela and Ann Demeulemeester – Wang’s personal favorite designer and inspiration is Yohji Yamamoto. She strives for the same powerful simplism in her designs.

Wang is clearly on her way to the top. Sources state that Anna Wintour, Vogue’s legendary editor in chief, met up with Wang during her visit to China last November. After winning the Audi’s Progressive Designer Award for 2011, all bets are on Wang to become China’s first major fashion designer of international caliber. Including a quest for Europe; Wang showed her collections in London and Milan, before coming to Paris for the first time this year.

Esther Muñoz Grootveld is strategic consultant in design and fashion and will be living in East-Asia for the next year.

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Uma Wang