France inspires designer to rise above the pack

In Beijing's famed shopping and bar district, Sanlitun, sits a small boutique that sells French-inspired avant-garde clothing. The clothes appear to be authentically French, except the designer is very much Chinese. Enter Yang Guanhua, better known as Elysee Yang. Born in China and educated in France, Yang has been moving up in the Chinese fashion world since her return home in 2003.

Beijing fashion designer Yang Guanhua trained at a Paris design school and the fruits of her labor are now showing. Feng Yongbing / China Daily

Setting up shop in the Sanlitun, a haunt common for Westerners, Yang established her eponymous brand, Elysee Yang, a label that pursues her French style.

"My style originally was very punk and rebellious, especially in the first few years when I just got out of school," the 36-year-old says. "It reflected my own rebellious nature, and my customers back then were primarily foreigners.

"As I have matured, my line is moving to a more refined fashion, which is more suitable for everyday wear, and my customer base is moving toward more Chinese."

She has two clothing lines, Elysee Yang and ZemoElysee, which she set up in France and her designs are a mixture between soft rock, punk, rebellion, French classic and luxury.

"My customers are usually well-educated, high-earning women, who desire a more rebellious look outside of their work wardrobe," Yang says.

"A lot of men ask me to make a men's line and many take my clothes and wear them but I am afraid if I make a men's line they will all look very gay, because my style is very feminine."

Inspired by her idols Vivian Westwood and the late Alexander McQueen, Yang's design tastes showcase a very European feel.

The Elysee Yang line follows made-to-order haute couture. These garments are priced from 2,000 yuan (215 euros) and rise upwards of 10,000 yuan, with evening dresses costing more than 20,000 yuan, and wedding dresses surpassing 30,000 yuan.

Her second line is a ready-to-wear brand, ZemoElysee, and is geared toward a younger crowd with prices around the 2,000 yuan mark. Yang's clothing is of top quality, with fabrics imported from Paris, Japan and South Korea. She says she uses the same materials used by elite fashion brands, such as Louis Vuitton and Cartier.

Selected as one of the 10 top designers in 2009 by CCTV, Yang has been the subject of many features in international publications including Vogue and Elle.

Yang was born and raised in China and is the daughter of very educated parents, whom she credits for her success. Her mathematician mother was a Tsinghua University graduate and her father was a telecommunications researcher. She says they provided a nurturing environment, which allowed her creativity to bloom.

"My father said that I inherited his genes. My father isn't like typical Chinese men. He's very relaxed with a great sense of humor," she says.

"For example, when I was studying, my mother, who graduated from Tsinghua University, wanted me to be No. 1 in every thing I did, but I didn't have much time for my studies because I was too busy drawing.

"I tested No 47 in my class and my mom became angry, and told my dad to discipline me.

"My father then asked me how many students were in my class. I said, '50 students' then my father smiled and said, 'at least you're not No. 50. It's OK'.

"He also said that if school made me unhappy he would support me for the rest of my life."

But very soon, in the sixth grade, Yang found her fashion focus. She had the opportunity to enter a design contest because a friend had backed out and surprisingly won, thus beginning her foray into the industry.

Yang initially entered the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology but says she hit a curb in her studies and found it hard to fit into the system. She was encouraged to go to study in France after graduating without a degree.

"I didn't find my style in Beijing. I couldn't relax, at that time and I didn't really like China's education system," Yang says. "I failed a few subjects and graduated university without a degree. My grades in the core subjects were terrific but I didn't do as well in some general education classes."

Yang moved to Paris, which today she regards as a second home. She enrolled in L'institut Superieur des Arts Appliques, or LISAA, where she studied design and began to master the technical skills of tailoring.

She also attained work experience through various design studios that proved invaluable.

Yang says her passion for all things French started in childhood, and this was enhanced when she learned to speak French. It was also in Paris where Yang discovered her style and the love of her life and married a French man.

Leaving Paris in 2003, Yang and her husband returned to Beijing because her grandfather was ill but she was quick to continue her business interests.

In 2005, she opened up her Sanlitun boutique and began building up her brand with small fashion shows until her 2009 Shanghai Fashion Week debut.

Yang says that China's fashion scene is quickly moving up. With more and more foreign-educated Chinese returning home with fresh ideas and new perspectives, Yang sees that the already huge market is only expanding, especially with more foreign labels looking for local designers to enter the market.

Designers of Chinese descent, such as Vera Wang and Anna Sui are providing more exposure for Chinese designers.

"There are a lot of very talented Chinese designers, but the problem that I see with the industry as a whole is that they're all to egocentric," Yang says. "Young Chinese designers are too focused on making themselves into a star and forgoing the market.

"They focus on making clothes for stars and not for consumers and this makes it difficult for them to make a living."

Yang is happy to see more newcomers joining the industry.

Yang does not feel threatened by new competition and sees it all as a chance for cooperation, believing in the strength of her own brands.

"I spent the past five years cultivating my brand and learning about the market and now I am working with investors to expand my brand," Yang says. "What I really want to aspire to is like Yves Saint Laurent, where my style is classy but innovative."