Chinese designer Zhang Chi cooperates with world-acclaimed fabric company Reda in his latest creations. Photo provided to China Daily

Fashions of the first ladies

Trend watch: Print capris

Cabbeen works with the fabric companies in two ways. When Yang has an idea, he will ask some vendors if they can realize it. If yes, the company will order it. In its 2012 spring/summer collection, Yang used a lot of floral prints combined with plastic-like fabric in shiny bright colors. The materials were created by a local fabric company.

In his coming collection, he has created something based on a material with leather patterns interwoven in other materials. He was inspired by the products from a European fabric company.

Copenhagen-based fabric company Kvadrat established an office in Shanghai in 2010. Though the company's fabrics are designed for interior design, it serves as an idea pool for many famous fashion brands, including Spanish shoewear Camper and famous designer Raf Simons. Its products include natural materials, but in various colors.

The company's iconic product, a one-color fabric, is interesting. If you look closer, you will find there are many layers of different colors in this fabric.

"It is extremely suitable for a chic garment. We are paying attention to some pioneering young fashion designers in China. We hope more Chinese independent designers will collaborate with us," says Melody Lin, Kvadrat's spokeswoman in China.

Lin says Kvadrat is a good choice for independent designers, because the company will provide product and service even if the order is only for 1 meter of fabric.

"For big companies, they might have a baseline for an order. For independent designers, it is a big cost," Lin says.

The company Material ConneXion has a fabric library in New York. Designers from all over the world are members and receive the latest updates on new material in the library. The company says there has been a growth in Chinese clients in recent years.

New materials in the fashion industry are important because they have different functions, according to Michele Caniato, president of Material ConneXion. For example, a leather mixed with serpent and crocodile skins requires extremely high-level techniques to produce. It is breathable, yet has different animal patterns, which is chic and stylish.

"The fast-growing Chinese market is what we will develop in coming years," Caniato says.

Caniato intends to set up a smaller material library in Shanghai, providing a service for Chinese designers.

Now, his first step is to collaborate with some Chinese institutes and professional academies, where young fashion students might be more interested in the latest materials that could be used to create garments.