In the 1953 romantic comedy Roman Holiday, Gregory Peck established himself as one of the better dressed men in film history. Ten days ago in the Chinese capital, he came alive again.
On a big screen in the ballroom of the Beijing Hotel, Peck slowly walked towards the audience, hands in pockets. Suddenly the screen went dark – and, where the actor had been showing off his suit, a young Chinese model appeared, striding down the catwalk in a white cashmere coat with wolf fur collar.
The event was the first fashion show of Sheji/Sorgere, a nascent menswear brand overturning shibboleths of the luxury goods industry. It is run by state-controlled China Garments and its products are designed in China – but manufactured in Italy. The audience, too – a mixture of twentysomething Chinese and older state officials – was unlike the usual set at shows in New York, Milan and Paris.