Chinese Designers Stealing the Spotlight: Manchit Au

By now you’ve probably heard that five up-and-coming Chinese designers are now having their work showcased and sold on TheCorner.com.cn, the Chinese-language version of a YOOX-owned luxury retail website. (If you haven’t, check out our 2011 Style-Phile Roundup, which will get you up to speed on all the latest developments in Beijing's shopping scene.)

The selected designers are as follows: Uma Wang (of Uma Wang, and famed recipient of the 2011 Audi Progress in Design Award), Christine Lau (of Chictopia), Riko Manchit Au (of Ricostru), Shangguan Zhe (of Sankuanz) and Zou You (of This Is You’z Clothing). Click here to access the special “Vogue Talents Corner” capsule collection.

We were not at all surprised to see Ricostru included on that list. We first took notice of Riko Manchit Au (add her on Weibo here) at BNC, and then at Dong Liang Studio. We were continually drawn to her sleek and pared-down designs – the structured coats, unadorned clutch bags and perfectly flimsy T-shirt dresses stuck out in China's sea of clashing patterns and color. Below, Ms. Au tells us about the honor (and accompanying pressures) of representing China’s new era of talent.

You were one of five Chinese designers chosen to sell your work on TheCorner.cn. How does it feel to be “Vogue China-editor approved”?
I feel incredibly honored. The Vogue team has been very careful about selecting its designers, considering every factor before arriving at their decision. I’m so grateful they’re giving our brand, young as it is, this opportunity to grow. At this stage, we need all the help and guidance we can get.

Very few Chinese designers have gained international recognition. What image do you try and present to the rest of the world?
Ricostru can definitely be viewed as representative of China’s up-and-coming designers. Our team is super young, and has a sense of what the new generation of stylish, free-thinking youth are looking for. Everything we design, we try to inject a bit of attitude. I think passion and authenticity make a huge difference.

Look out for the rest of the interview in our upcoming February 2011 issue.

Photos: Paul Cheng