Shanghai designer Grace Chen parades the best of both worlds in Moscow

Grace Chen sought to connect Chinese and Russian fashion culture for the show she staged in Moscow in September.

A design team working for the Shanghai couturier traveled to Guizhou province in July to research silverware produced by the Miao ethnic group. The crew was surprised to find that the designs and craftsmanship used for the Miao items were either exactly the same or similar to elements of some traditional Russian art.

As a result, for the Moscow show, Chen presented designs from both countries, a decision that worked well.

In developing her brand Chen Chen at home and abroad, the designer has had two goals in mind.

"One is to establish an image for Chinese women. I think they're very misunderstood in every way. I want to find true beauty for them to give them the respect they deserve," Chen said.

"The second goal is to use Chinese fashion to express our aesthetic view of beauty and the philosophy behind it to the world."

She said three major series have been launched under Chen's brand - Serenity, Depth and Glamor. For the Moscow show, customized designs from the Depth series were paraded on the catwalk.

"Depth stands for women's inner power, and I think this theme best fits the characteristics of Russian culture and art," Chen said.

Zhao Xiangrong, a counselor at the Chinese embassy in Moscow, said the presence of Chinese fashion brands in Russia is an important part of Sino-Russian cooperation in people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

"At the Moscow show, Russian audiences saw beautiful dresses with not only Chinese elements, but Russian cultural ones. The Chinese designer combined the elements, thus enhancing the bilateral friendship," Zhao said.

Chen agreed with Zhao, adding that she was glad to see Chinese fashion accepted on the international stage. This demonstrates the increasing influence of China's "soft power", as fashion is one of the most direct ways in which to showcase the features of a country or society to the world, she added.