How fashion changes with the times! Over the last three decades, significant changes have been seen in what people wear. Today, let's review this dramatic transformation in the dressing style of Chinese people and meet some people responsible for the sea change. Du Lijun has the story.

In 1979, a year after China initiated the opening-up and reform policy, famous French fashion designer Pierre Cardin visited China with haute couture the country had never seen before. He wanted to introduce his fashion products to the country. But no Chinese person had ever tried wearing his designs before.

"I saw this beautiful secretary. She was not tall, a little plump. I persuaded her to try on my clothes, though she was a bit hesitant in the beginning. When she took off her coat, I was shocked. Inside the coat she wore eight layers of clothes, and they were so not related to each other in style or in color: red, yellow, blue, etc."

Back then in the 1970s, the colors people wore were the monotonous three of blue, black and grey. And people's clothes were cut in unified shapes: uniforms for service men, work clothes for workers, and Zhongshan suits or the Chinese tunic suits for intellectuals and students. Simplicity was the key to dressing. Clothes were used to keep warm, and to reflect one's simple and industrious life style.

With China's opening up and reform, suits, dresses, sunglasses emerged. Almost overnight, these fashionable items swept the country. Every one, regardless of their occupation or character, wore such fashionable items. On one hand, it indicated Chinese people's fashion awareness was on the rise. On the other hand, wearing that regardless of their personal style meant that their taste for fashion needed to be cultivated.

In 1984, Pierre Cardin held China's first fashion show in the Worker's Stadium in Beijing. Zheng Siti was one of his models.

"We were very much lagging behind in fashion. We didn't know any western fashion designers and we'd never seen fashion shows. I guess many people were wondering what a fashion show would be like?"

Maybe more out of curiosity rather than interest in fashion, tens of thousands of people packed into the stadium. The show was sensational.

Zheng Siti recalls.

"Hundreds of colorful suits! The colors were bright and their styles were so unique and bold. We'd never seen such clothes before. And we never knew clothes could be like that. People kept on asking 'Why are the clothes like that? And why is that hat so big? If we ever had any knowledge about fashion, we would not raise questions like that. The show left an everlasting impression both visually and spiritually."

Pierre Cardin did not know much about China, neither did he have a good command of Chinese. But he brought fashion to the Chinese people through his trendy clothes.
In 1988, one of the world's top fashion magazines 'Elle' came to China. If Pierre Cardin brought fashion to China, Elle connected people with the latest trends. Yin Yan, the magazine's editor-in-chief at the time, still remembers their first Chinese edition.

"The first edition was sensational. We presented a group of pictures that featured Chinese girls who were wearing clothes with a perfect combination of trends and Chinese style. An ordinary shirt may contribute to make a refreshing image if it is matched with a sweater that smartly put on one's shoulders, a tote bag and a bicycle. All these elements are Chinese, but when they are matched together, they become fashion. We wanted to show people that fashion is a judgment, a taste. It's the art of matching different garments. We don't need to buy expensive clothes to be fashionable."

Yin Yan made a comparison: China was like the desert of fashion and every drop of water was extremely valuable. Elle was one of these important drops.

Elle soon became the guide book for every young girl who wanted to look good.

"We didn't have ready-made clothes at that time. So if we want a new dress, we would go to pick the cloth ourselves, take them to the tailor's and tell him what style I want it to be. You might always find our magazine in these places. And sellers usually promote their products by saying 'You see, this is the material or style Elle used in this dress.' I believe the magazine was an important guide, or I would say, the only guide in our fashion life."

As we entered the 1990's, the 'Bat Jacket', an upper outer garment with batwing sleeves, Jeans, and the Slip Skirts became hot stuff in people's wardrobes. People soon began using clothes to express their personality.

Nowadays, with globalization, big labels like Versace, Louis Vuitton and Burberry can be easily found in shopping plazas. And top fashion magazines all publish Chinese editions.

In 2001, US fashion magazine "Bazaar" came to China. Hao Ning is a senior editor of the magazine.

"At the end of 1990s, China was about to join the WTO. And that means its further integration into the whole world. People began to have a social life, formal dos for business partners, parties for fun, but how to dress appropriately to different occasions? Bazaar was introduced to China to meet the need."

Some say clothes reveal a person's taste and culture. Some say you may gain clues about a society's development in economy, society and culture through people's clothes. A retrospect of people's clothes is also a journey back through time, a history that reflects the changes of people's mindsets.