Chinese designer Ji Wenbo makes Japan debut

0 Comments | AFP, September, 2008

TOKYO (AFP) — Chinese designer Ji Wenbo made his debut Wednesday in Japan, Asia's biggest fashion market, unveiling sharp yet casual menswear with references to his homeland's ancient past.

Ji, primarily known for his men's brand LiLang, was the first Chinese designer ever to take part in Tokyo Fashion Week, which takes place twice a year in the Japanese capital.

Male models strutted down the catwalk in jackets and sweaters with geometric patterns that included images of the Terracotta Army, the statues of soldiers buried underground in the ancient Chinese city of Xian.

"I reproduced the details and ancient designs from the Terracotta Army and turned it into modern fashion," Ji said of his mainly black and white 2009 spring/summer collection, which received...