From The Straits Times    |

As the newest guest member of France’s iconic Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, Beijing-born Paris fashion designer Yiqing Yin has a lot to live up to. Now showing on the haute couture calendar alongside names like Adeline André, Anne Valérie Hash, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christophe Josse, Franck Sorbier, Givenchy and Jean Paul Gaultier – all official members of the organisation – Yiqing Yin has a lot to prove.

Yiqing Yin show French Couture Week 2012 Singapore DECOR 1
Embellished bodice on evening gown by Yiqing Yin. Image: Milton Tan for Fide Productions

Yet this pressure is exactly what the young designer seems to relish, although admitting to the stress of the expectations, she does so with a smile and emphasises that the “warrant” – the “stamp of approval” – the invitation brought to her work is practically priceless.

Born in Beijing, the designer moved to Paris aged just 4-years-old, and although she moved between her two worlds all her life, says her Chinese relatives really don’t understand what it is she does. Still, the connection to China remains strong; Yiqing is contemplating setting up a second atelier in her former hometown, and she is also very grateful for the support of the Chinese press throughout her career.

After studying at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs and at the Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, Yiqing won a number of prestigious fashion awards with her debut collection, showed off-schedule at Paris’ Haute Couture Fashion Week before finally being elected as a guest member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in 2011.

Yiqing’s designs are a combination of fluidity and structure, ranging from encompassing hooded, floor-length gowns to very revealing, fitted, body-suits, yet through all the permutations there remains an essential femininity to her work.

Movement and volume are imparted from the use of multiple pleats of various sizes, sheer fabrics add to the illusion of light and air around the body and texture comes from the use of Rorschach inkblot-like patterns via appliquéd embellishments or prints.

Yiqing Yin show French Couture Week 2012 Singapore DECOR 2
Yiqing Yin show French Couture Week 2012 Singapore DECOR 3
Pieces from Yiqing Yin show at French Couture Week 2012.
Images: Milton Tan for Fide Productions

On the opening night of Fide Fashion Weeks’ French Couture Week 2012 held in the Pavillion @ Marina Bay Sands, Yiqing Yin showed pieces from her most recent collection alongside archival pieces. This concept allowed viewers to see not only the designer’s breadth of work, but also offered up a timeline of the development of her particular “look”.

While there were a number of beautifully wearable gowns and statement pieces, there were also more experimental numbers; less wearable but no less distinctive.

“I brought strong pieces from previous shows that I have a strong emotional attachment to; experimental pieces. I chose the pieces that highlight a different aspect of my work, but I also wanted to see what the reaction of the women [in Singapore] would be like,” explained Yiqing during an interview the day after her show.

Yiqing sees Singapore and the surrounding region, alongside China, as an important market for the future. “The Asian market is already a most prolific one, everyone in the Western world is trying to target this market, especially China; it will be the target for the next few years,” said Yiqing.

“Some things about this [situation] are easier for me. I am of Chinese descent and I’ve had lots of support from the Chinese press; I’ve just returned from Shanghai where I was awarded the Elle Style Award China.

“But more than that, being an Asian woman physically I understand the anatomy of Asian women, so that’s an edge for me [in the market].”

When it comes to supporting other Asian designers, Yiqing leans more towards supporting all emerging designers rather than just those from Asia, however.

“It’s not about where you’re from, but about something magical happening,” explained Yiqing. “There are many talented young designers in Korea, in China, and there’s room for them … but I don’t want to see a mass group moving to Europe just because of ‘marketing’. A lot of Chinese designers are looking too much towards Europe; I’d hope they’d develop their own way forward. But at the end of the day, it’s all about the individual’s talent.”

Yiqing loves supporting young talent, becoming animated when discussing the importance of working with talented young people, her interns for example. She also points out that all the people who work with her now were once her interns; it seems she loves mentoring, but only when the talent, drive and passion of an individual matches her own.

“I like getting people from a very young age because they’re not so ‘formed’, they will take risks with the work. The young spirit is a fresh spirit, the older [people] are more restrained.

“The older I am, the more [time] I spend doing different things, management for example. I have a smaller amount of time for creation so I surround myself with fresh, young energy … with someone who will take on any crazy idea and have a go. That’s really precious to me.”

Although she sounds almost jaded – remarkable considering how young she is and how new to the haute couture world – but perhaps it was because she was tired from the travel and the stress of her first full show outside of Paris? After all, her collection itself remains as young, and as fresh, as her interns must be.

Yiqing Yin showed at Fide Fashion Weeks’ French Couture Week 2012 on Friday, November 30, 2012. For more information about Yiqing Yin, go to www.yiqingyin.com. For more information about Fide Fashion Weeks’ couture events, go to www.fidefashionweeks.com/fcw. You can follow Fide Fashion Weeks on Twitter at @FidePresents; on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FideFashionWeeks and on Instagram at @fidefashionweeks.