By Cristina from couture+love+madness
This month, I launched my home-grown South Australian label, couture+love+madness… in China! (Still pinching myself). I started CLM in 2011 with the dream of seeing my designs one day strut down the red-carpet and runways of the world. And after 4 years it’s actually happening!
Following on from a delegation to Adelaide’s sister-city, Qingdao (Shandong Provence) in August 2014, I was asked to officially open the 2015 Qingdao International Fashion Festival this April. As the first Australian asked to participate (yikes!), it was a super exciting opportunity that has opened my eyes to a whole new world of fashion.
The lead up to the opening was so nerve racking, this was my FIRST international fashion festival. The sheer production of the Festival was mind-blowing; no expenses were spared, it was like nothing I had ever seen before. I was lucky enough to showcase again on Day 4 at The Lalu, a luxurious 6-star resort off the coast of Qingdao that looked like something out of a Bond movie…we even spotted movie stars Willem Dafoe and Matt Damon!
Following the success of my collection ‘Silk Road’ in Qingdao this year, I have been asked to showcase again in 2016. Next time round, I hope to have some fellow South Aussie designers join me!
The fashion industry is rated so highly in China and it was so inspiring to be part of this Festival. There are many talented designers in the world (stating the obvious I know), but I can’t wait to come back to Adelaide and share my knowledge and experiences with everyone, to help shape the South Australian fashion industry.
If your’e an up and coming fashion designer and have any questions for me, please shoot them through, I’d love to help out!
x CLM Cristina
