Top model Hu Bing announces London Fashion Week presentation

Chinese model Hu Bing bills himself as a “bridge between the West and Asia.” This claim is not without foundation. The star has been the international ambassador of London Fashion Week (LFW) for a decade. And for the 40th year of the event, he has a surprise in store for us.

Hu Bing Selects is his new initiative that highlights Asia’s best emerging talent by offering them a spot on the official LFW show schedule. Shanghai-based label Consistence is his top pick.

With a career spanning over 30 years in film, television and fashion, Hu Bing is a true icon in China. Most recently, he was named global ambassador for skincare brand Yoseido, a subsidiary of Yangshengtang Group, and a sponsor of the LFW event. “When we decided to launch this line, I only had Hu Bing’s face in mind,” says CEO Yvonne Wu, who was in town for the show.

Hu is already putting the next generation of fashion in the spotlight through initiatives like livestreaming, which draws on his impressive social media following: more than 13 million fans on Weibo and 5 million on Douyin. It’s a much tougher proposition, and he admits he feels the pressure. “Since my name is on it, it’s a big responsibility and a huge challenge,” he explains in an interview before the show. Hu met the couple behind Consistence, Tien Lu and Fang Fang, in a showroom during Milan Fashion Week 10 years ago. They’ve stayed in touch ever since, with Hu acting as an official mentor, from helping him secure an Armani-sponsored show at Milan Fashion Week to livestreaming events.

“It was a beautiful story and now it’s come full circle by being back at LFW,” he adds. Before that, Consistence was primarily a menswear brand. However, after some “gentle persuasion” from Hu, the duo accepted his offer to launch a womenswear collection, which they designed and produced in just 88 days.

The humble apron is the provocative starting point for the collection. Designer Tien felt that the ultimate transgression would be to make it out of wool, and so he did. From there, the obsession with tailoring extended to replacing patch pockets with double-threaded ones. “To take the idea even further, we decided to make an apron out of organza, which creates a stark contrast to something that is generally perceived as more durable and functional,” Tien adds. This concept ultimately sums up the ethos behind the collection’s name:Useless but fabulous.

Couture, the brand’s signature, takes center stage here, with suits and trench coats incorporating structured fabrics and evening wear elements as highlights.

Fabric scraps from garment production are transformed into the season’s accessories, scarves, gloves and wraps. The collection also features a collaboration with leather goods company Scabal, including their patented 24-karat gold fabric as well as neon pink and yellow fabrics. “Our style is always about taking something formal or rigid and disrupting it with a soft or raw element to create a sleek, modern silhouette,” Fang says.

More than 900,000 fans followed Hu’s channel, which live-streamed the show from 180 The Strand on the opening day of LFW, and the news became a “hot topic” on Weibo. All related posts have been viewed more than 330 million times in the past 30 days. Model Lù Xiānrén (nicknamed the rural supermodel) opened the show. Lù was chosen by Hu as part of a new initiative Hu launched with the China Fashion Designers Association to promote Chinese culture overseas.

Saving the best for last, Hu himself closed the show in front of a sold-out crowd, proving once again his work ethic and star appeal. “He has it all: exceptional personal style and a confident voice,” fashion consultant Cui Youjin said after the show. “He is the perfect bridge between the West and Asia.”