Created in China: Comme Moi

COMME MOI

Chinese supermodel Lu Yan introduces her
exclusive capsule collection to Lane Crawford

COMME MOI

As part of our ‘Created in China’ programme, in which we nurture and champion new and emerging talent from the region, Lane Crawford presents an exclusive capsule collection with COMME MOI. The hotly talked about label is a labour of love from one of China’s first major supermodels, Lu Yan, who has translated her unique style into a sporty yet sophisticated collection perfect for the modern woman.

In a world of short attention spans in which we flit from one project to another, it can be easy to dismiss yet another endeavour from a well-known name. But the move from fashion model to fashion designer is a hard path to success. Many have tried and failed but Lu Yan’s COMME MOI stands to beat the odds.

Not one to shy away from a challenge, Lu left her small, rural town in China at the age of 18 for Beijing in 1999 and found herself walking the Paris runways shortly thereafter. Her distinctly Chinese look broke new ground and was a refreshing Fashion Week sight that catapulted her to the top of the modelling game.

Fifteen years later and Lu has put her catwalk career firmly behind her to concentrate on COMME MOI. Though that’s not to say she has forgotten her fashion start, as her inspirations mainly come from her work fashion experiences and personal style she has developed from her time spent travelling: “My designs are the reflection of my own style,” she says. “I think the COMME MOI girl is sophisticated, confident and understands the importance of quality. She also knows how to enjoy life.”

As creative director, Lu is fully invested and hands-on with the design process, from sharing her concept ideas with the design team to sourcing fabrics and the production of samples. “I strongly believe that quality materials are the key to a successful piece. That’s the reason why I source and select materials myself. One of the most exciting parts of the process for me this season was that we used a new woven technique to create a new material. This material is tighter to make the garments crisper, while retaining its soft and comfortable feel.”

Modern women are busy and don’t have enough time to think about what to wear. My designs are great options for day to night wear. Just change into a pair of heels and you’ll be ready for a formal event at night.

Aware of the attraction that her profile alone could bring, Lu tested the market with her first collection by removing her name from all communications and debuting in a designer boutique to gain better insight into how people felt about her work. “In the first week, we didn’t sell any pieces so I was nervous. But from the second week on, people began to take notice of COMME MOI on the racks. They were asking about my designs and it sold out very quickly. Customers were only made aware of the designer behind the label after they purchased the pieces.”

I want to treat COMME MOI as a serious business, as my career. I want to make everyone remember this name for a very long time to come. I hope that one day, COMME MOI can represent Chinese designer brands on an international level.

This season, COMME MOI further establishes itself as a brand to watch that is well on its way to achieving Lu’s aspirations, with a fun, playful collection and a campaign that speaks to the modern woman, shot by her friend and iconic fashion photographer, Chen Man.