There have been many recent and exciting developments in the world of fashion in Beijing. Fendi hosting a fashion show on the Great Wall, Yohji Yamamoto presenting a collection in the Forbidden City, Nike designing the costumes for the 22 Chinese Sporting Federations and launching their new Sportswear collection here in Beijing to name but a few.

What is perhaps even more exciting is the news that our very own, homegrown fashion brand – Plastered T-Shirts – is set to expand westward. The Beijing-inspired T-shirts, which have been phenomenally successful here, are set to hit the shelves in London.

Around four of Plastered’s designs will be stocked in Terratag’s Brick Lane store from August. “It will be fairly low-key initially,” says T-shirt supremo Dominic Johnson-Hill, “We’re launching in August to tie in with the Beijing Olympics, but it’s just the start of bigger things to come.”

These bigger things are set to happen around the end of January 2009, when the UK’s Harvey Nichols (think Harrod’s but cooler) will feature Plastered’s designs. Harvey Nicks will hold a show towards the end of January celebrating Eastern influences in fashion. After the show Plastered’s products (not just T-shirts!) will be stocked for a week, and depending on how well it goes, the range could extend to Harvey Nichols’ other stores.

Needless to say this is exciting news indeed. Chinese design thus far has been shackled with the reputation of imitating not innovating, or descending into stereotypical Chinese schmalz; but this move will hopefully increase awareness in the West that there is more to Chinese design than mandarin collars and Chinese knots.