Works of Chinese designers shine at Harrods' main window ahead of Chinese Lunar New Year

Iconic London department store Harrods is showcasing the work of young Chinese designers in one of its main windows in celebration of the Year of Snake on the Chinese zodiac.

Chinese fashion platform Labelhood, Visa's Creator Program and Shanghai Fashion Week organizers, have brought these designers to sell their ceramics, porcelain, jewelry and clothing in a pop-up at the store.

Exploring the theme of "Your Spiritual Homeland", the pop-up celebrates the cross-cultural exchange of ideas between the UK and China, making connections between the designers' roots and their lives studying fashion in London.

As founder and lead designer of fashion brand 1300, Oscar Wang presented a series of five plates inspired by Wuxing, or Chinese Five Elements, with an abstract snake eye for the Chinese New Year.

"It's been amazing. We opened first day and we are sold out this is the final set left. So I am very happy to have engaged with a lot of new customers and people who share the passion I have for porcelain," Wang said as he displayed his works.

Katrina Wu, creative director of the brand Tangxindan, uses gold and silver embroidery techniques in her clothing and mini purses.

"I used to study in London College of Fashion and I got lots of inspiration in London, and I went back to China, me and my partner saw this beautiful, beautiful Chinese traditional craftsmanship," she said.

Incorporating techniques of Chinese master craftsman from her hometown of Ningbo, Wu hopes she can inspire more young people to study the craft.

"We use some shining fabric and also we put lots of different textured beads on the top. so it's more modern and shining, but also you can see the Chinese traditional history inside," said the designer.

Running until Jan 21, the pop up provides a platform for emerging designers to show their work on a global stage. 

"I think for Chinese designers, they hope to get onto the international stage to capture more consumers. We hope this event can serve as a bridge between Chinese designers and consumers," said Lyu Xiaolei, secretary general of Shanghai Fashion Week Organizing Committee.

Works of Chinese designers shine at Harrods' main window ahead of Chinese Lunar New Year

Chinese President Xi Jinping awarded Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic the Friendship Medal of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on Monday.

As solemn music played and the golden doors slowly opened, Xi and Vucic entered the hall together, followed by Xi's wife Peng Liyuan and Vucic's wife Tamara Vucic.

Applauding guests rose to their feet, and paid respect to the two heads of state.

A Guard of Honor escorted the Friendship Medal into the hall, and amid solemn music, Xi formally presented the medal to Vucic.

Xi highlighted Vucic's long-standing commitment to advancing China-Serbia friendship and underscored the significance of the honor.

"President Vucic has long stayed committed to China-Serbia friendship, and he has always given China the firmest and clearest support on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns. He gains the respect from the Chinese people. This medal is not only a high recognition of President Vucic's contributions to bilateral friendship, but also carries the earnest expectations of both peoples for building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era," Xi said.

The Friendship Medal is China's highest state honor for foreigners, reserved for those who have made outstanding contributions to China's modernization drive, promoting exchange and cooperation between China and the world, and safeguarding world peace.

At the invitation of Xi, Vucic is on a state visit to China from Sunday to Thursday, with this marking his first state visit to China and his ninth trip to the country overall.

Xi awards Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic China's friendship medal