Zhang Xiaotian: The Second International Fashion Week In New York

At the age of 25.

It is probably the most fashionable girl in Harbin after 90.

In mid February this year, she will work with Pamella, Roland, a senior American designer, for the second time in New York fashion week.

Zhang Xiaotian studied in Kazakhstan, and entered Beijing Fashion Design Institute after graduation.

In 2012, he was admitted to the Parsons (Parsons) School of design in New York, one of the world's four major design institutes, to pursue a master's degree in fashion design.

She has won the gold medal of the 2011 A0F global costume design competition, and has worked in many famous international companies such as Chanel, Gucci, Langwen, CK and so on.

During her internship at Chanel's advanced hand-made workshop, her designs were also selected to display in the Museum of decorative arts in Louvre.

In January 26th, New York ushered in a rare snowstorm.

Preparing for New York

Zhang Xiaotian, the great show, got off work before 6 p.m. for the first time.

Walking on the snowy Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, she uploaded three snow scenes to the WeChat circle.

For the heavy snow, the girl born in the ice city is not so frightened by the local people, but has a sense of closeness.

From Harbin to Beijing, and then to New York, the 90 year old girl still missed her hometown. She told reporters: "after the New York fashion week, I hope to take the opportunity to return home on my way home."

Where dreams begin

Zhang Xiaotian hasn't returned to Harbin's clothing city for many years. Now, though she is in the United States, her hometown is still regarded as the place where "dress dream" begins.

"I was very interested in fashion since I was young. Before my family opened a small clothing store in the clothing city, when I was young, I stayed in the shop as long as I didn't go to school."

Zhang Xiaotian recalls that she ran around every day, sneaking into different shops, playing with her favorite clothes, and tinkering with all kinds of fabrics.

In the slightly noisy environment, Zhang Xiaotian's artistic sense grew silently.

The concept of style and texture began to appear in her mind as she ran away.

"I also learned how to tailor, choose my own fabric, put out a little dress on pins with a pin, and then put a pose and a nice skirt together."

Many years later, Zhang Xiaotian knew that it was called stereoscopic cutting. She said mischievously, "I am very good at making" cutting "now. Maybe it is because I began to practise from an early age.

Although Zhang Xiaotian did not know what the fashion designer meant at that time, she had begun to fantasize about her future career. "I want to make beautiful skirts for others, and if they are happy to wear them, I will be very happy."

"Melting iceberg" became famous in the first World War in San Francisco

Zhang Xiaotian is a different class in the third class of Kazakhstan.

She likes to read all kinds of fashion magazines, almost no period of time, and gradually become aware of the style of the international first-line brands.

Since then, she has made up her mind to become a real fashion designer.

In 2008, Zhang Xiaotian went to Beijing Institute Of Fashion Technology, and learned more professional knowledge and techniques of clothing.

In the third year, she followed her teacher's advice and participated in the AOF global design competition.

After months of drawing and preparation, she sent the series "melted iceberg" to the United States. Hard work and sweat were not wasted. This series of works won the gold medal in the competition.

In this competition, Zhang Xiaotian won fame in the first World War, and Stephen Cobb, executive director of the American Apparel Association, presented her prizes in person in San Francisco.

This series of works has also been reported by many world-famous media. Among them, the Wall Street journal has listed Zhang Xiaotian as one of the eight new fashion designers of the year.

When participating in the US competition, the jury only asked to make two garments. After returning home, Zhang Xiaotian decided to continue the series of melted iceberg series. In 2012, when she graduated from the University, her 9 design works won the Gold Award and the best craft award of the graduation project of Beijing Institute Of Fashion Technology.

Going to the world fashion capital New York, entering the world top fashion design institute Parsons Design Institute, has always been a dream in Zhang Xiaotian's mind.

It was the trip to San Francisco that helped her open the door of her dream.

During the finals, a judge from the Parsons School of design found Zhang Xiaotian. "I have seen your collection of works. The design thinking embodied in your work is what Parsons wanted. I sincerely hope you can apply for our fashion design major."

Conquer New York fashion big coffee with "emotion"

When dreams come into reality, they are happy from then on. That is the plot of idol drama, and reality is often not so easy.

"You see my glory, but you do not see my sweat."

After studying in the United States, Zhang Xiaotian felt deeply about Chen's style, which was once popular.

In fashion circles, how dazzling the stage is, how hard it is behind the scenes.

In the two years of studying in New York, Zhang Xiaotian went to the studio almost 9 o'clock every day, and went home only after two o'clock in the evening. After he had finished his sleep, he got up again and continued to design. Sometimes he even stayed in the studio for two or three days in a row.

"The hardest part is not having no time to sleep, but in the design process, every time you meet a challenge, you can persist in innovation and not shrink back to your comfort zone (which makes you feel comfortable)."

In Zhang Xiaotian's opinion, how to continue to innovate and not to shrink back after difficulties has become one of the most valuable things that Parsons has learned except professional knowledge.

In September last year, as a graduate student in Parsons's fashion design field, ODA took her graduation design, the other side of his brain, to become one of the 11 designers on the T stage of New York fashion week.

Surprisingly, her design was inspired by biology.

She accidentally saw some pictures of human brain cells, so he went to the Medical College of buffalo University in New York, where she invited a famous biology professor to help me. He personally showed me around and gave me nearly 4 hours of explanation. "

On the museum's computer, Zhang Xiaotian saw all kinds of beautiful fluorescent dots displayed in human brain activity, and was told that those points would only light up when the human brain was in an excited state.

"These different colors correspond to people's emotions and actions, so I present the emotion of the human brain in fashion through different colors and beads, and each garment can express an emotion."

These works, which are full of "emotion", have finally conquered many American and French designers. They have been praised as "innovative but also very artistic and bold colors."

Later, the works were also known by the world-famous fashion media such as VOGUE and WGSN, known as the "fashion Bible". Zhang Xiaotian's clothes and shoes were ordered by WGSN and WDD.

Search for inspiration from academic reports

The biggest difficulty for Chinese designers in the world fashion stage is the topic of conversation. Zhang Xiaotian, who is in the top fashion circle of the United States, says with emotion, "language has been an obstacle for Chinese designers to communicate with the outside world. But now, compared with foreign designers, we may have to pay more attention to innovation."

As far as creative inspiration is concerned, Zhang Xiaotian likes to search in movies or new scientific reports.

Of course, sometimes inspiration comes from the incandescent lamps covered with graffiti on the New York subway canopy, and the concrete walls are stacked and pasted posters...

She is always able to collide with the details that people are not aware of in life.

The icy city girl also fully integrated her personality into fashion design. "I like my own design series every time there is a different flashing point, and every innovation will continue my style."

Zhang Xiaotian has always thought that girls in Harbin are particularly beautiful. This beauty is not only the beauty of face, but also the beauty of personality. "Straightforward character makes us more daring to express our thoughts and dare to try different styles to accurately grasp the trend of fashion."

Zhang Xiaotian said she likes to design clothes for smart and adventurous women. "I think they can feel the courage to break through themselves.

In this rich and colorful era, who would want to remain unchanged for ever? "

Not willing to just follow the trend, to lead the trend is the dream of every designer.

Zhang Xiaotian is currently working on a well-known design company in New York. She hopes to create her own fashion brand someday.

Zhang Xiaotian, 25, is struggling to support his sky in New York.