Marching to a creative tune

• Source: Global Times
• [23:18 November 24 2009]
• Comments

By Mark Graham

Chris Liu in his London studio.

As a child, Chris Liu Huan was surrounded by actors, dancers and singers, a creative environment that strongly influenced his ambition to forge a career in the world of fashion design.

That single-mindedness has taken him to many different parts of the world and, after many years of study and slogging, working for different manufacturers and designers, Liu is finally enjoying success in his own right.

It was the British capital, in fact, that gave Liu his first major break, working as a designer with the iconic Burberry brand, a job that allowed the chance to observe the way its revered designer, Christopher Bailey, operates. Listening and learning from the maestro gave Liu the confidence to branch out on his own, starting a business with fellow Burberry employee Tibor Matyas, a Hungarian national who is trained as a technical illustrator.

Initially the focus was on promoting Liu's high-end dresses – worn by, among others, pocket-sized Australian pop star Kylie Minogue – but more recently the Chris and Tibor brand, which specializes in cutting edge clothing accessories such as gym bags, office satchels, belts and wallets, has had major success, now present in some 100 high-end stores and boutiques worldwide, including Joyce in Shanghai.

A recent visit to Beijing opened the duo's eyes wide to the possibility of opening a freestanding Chris and Tibor boutique, aimed at the growing band of fashionistas in the fast-changing capital city. The pair were in the capital to attend the British Business Awards, organized by the British Chamber of Commerce in China, which saw Liu nominated in the Alumnus category.

"There is a whole new generation here, kids who are really into fashion, it is very interesting," said Liu. "I think there is the opportunity for us to open a store here that can introduce people to British cutting-edge design, perhaps collaborating with other designers and musicians to bring in other cultural elements.

"We would be able to tell people and show people what is going on in London which I think is the most creative place in the world. It is something we will go back and think about – we will definitely be coming to China more often," Liu said.