Fashion victims
Those few who tried to stand out from the gray crowd were literally fashion victims. In the best case, they were expected to be branded with shame and moralizing reprimand, in the worst - public punishment or prison. For their reluctance to follow a new patriotic style in clothes, many were beaten and shamed by the detachments of the Hungweibs or the "Red Guard", consisting of radically-minded students.
Wang Guangmei, wife of the President of the PRC in 1959-1968, Liu Shaoqi, was considered the standard of femininity and good taste. Despite the unwritten ban on wearing traditional Chinese clothing, she continued to wear elegant qipao and a pearl necklace, accompanying her husband during visits abroad.
They say that the wife of Mao Zedong was jealous of her and considered such behavior unacceptable. Due to contradictions with Mao, Liu Shaoqi was declared the main enemy of the republic and thrown into prison, where according to the official version he died of pneumonia.
The Hongweibing humiliating court awaited his wife Wang Guangmei: the former first lady of the country was forced to appear in front of a 300,000-strong crowd in a tight-fitting traditional Chinese dress, high heels and a necklace of white ping-pong balls, mocking her habit of wearing a pearl necklace .
After that, Wang Guangmei was thrown into prison, where she spent 12 years of her life without any information about her family. Wang Guangmei was not released from prison until 1979. After that, she donated some family values and outfits from her wardrobe to charity.
The fate of fashionista Wang Guangmei is one of the most striking examples of the cruelty and madness of that era.
Modern chinese fashion
Long years of asceticism and restraint in clothes made themselves felt. So now in China the flames of fashion and style are raging with might and main. Young designers demonstrate absolute madness at the shows in the most unexpected combinations of furs with metal and crystal, and Shanghai is increasingly mentioned in the list of cities with the most stylish street inhabitants, writes ChinaModern.
Just ten years ago, a Chinese woman in a skirt was a rarity: only trousers, closed shirts and sweaters, this was due to historically established strict morals and moral and religious foundations. Now, in China, the “puppet style” with its cute dresses, ruffled skirts, bows and ruffles is gaining popularity among young people. Of course, the influence of Japanese-Korean fashionistas is also here, but one cannot but admit that Chinese street fashion is quite distinctive. Especially interesting is the national dress that is popular with all generations.
And the high fashion of China surprises even eminent couturiers. In addition to extravagant fantasies and amazing combinations of incongruous, creative Chinese designers are actively developing the theme of ecology. And the most modern trends successfully coexist with ethnic motifs.
Made in china
Modern China is still one of the tidbits for the fashion world. There is money in the Middle Kingdom, there are many, many who want to spend this money on clothes. On a global scale, the Chinese have a reputation for shopaholics, accustomed to buying up all the “best and immediately.” In many ways, this is the case, which does not negate the obvious: a new generation has already emerged in China, which in terms of fashion demonstrates intelligibility and taste, says the portal buro247.
“The Chinese like to buy big brands with logos so that everyone can note the level of their well-being. This comes from the depths of consciousness, from the Chinese mentality: the fact is that because of the widespread poverty in the country, we are not used to feeling safe. But in recent years, many wealthy Chinese people gravitate toward intellectual luxury, their tastes are becoming more refined and defined. Gradually, they begin to worry about what the brand and its products are, they question the true value of a particular thing and think about which costume suits their lifestyle and personality best. And I’m also glad that recently the Chinese fashion media have finally begun to support the local fashion industry. ”