Supermodel Hu Bing Announces Showcase At London Fashion Week

Chinese supermodel Hu Bing is a self-proclaimed “bridge between the west and Asia.” The claim is not unfounded. The star has acted as the international ambassador for London Fashion Week (LFW) for a decade. And, in the event’s 40th year, he has a surprise in store.

Hu Bing Selects is his new initiative which spotlights the best emerging talent from Asia by offering them a slot on LFW’s official show schedule. The Shanghai-based label Consistence is his debut choice.

With a career spanning over 30 years in film, television, and fashion, Hu Bing is a bona fide icon in China. Most recently, he’s been announced as the global ambassador for the premier skincare brand Yoseido, part of the Yangshengtang Group, and a sponsor of the LFW event. “When we decided to launch this range, I only had Hu Bing’s face in my mind,” explains CEO Yvonne Wu who flew into town for the show.

Hu is already bringing fashion’s next generation into the spotlight through initiatives like livestreaming which leverages his impressive social media following—over 13 million fans on Weibo and 5 million on Douyin. This is a far more challenging proposition and he admits he’s feeling the pressure. “Because my name is there, it’s a lot of responsibility and a huge challenge,” he shares in an interview before the show. Hu met the couple behind Consistence—Tien Lu and Fang Fang—at a showroom during LFW 10 years ago. They’ve been in touch ever since with Hu acting as an official mentor— from helping to secure an Armani-sponsored show at Milan Fashion Week to livestreaming events.

“It’s a great story and now it’s come full circle by being back here again at LFW,” he adds.Before that, there was the minor fact that Consistence is primarily a menswear brand. However, after some “gentle persuasion” from Hu, the duo accepted his proposition to debut a womenswear collection— which they designed and produced in only 88 days.

The humble apron forms a provocative starting point for the collection. Designer Tien felt the ultimate transgression would be to construct one in wool suiting—so he did just that. From there, the obsession with tailoring extended to replacing the patch pockets with double jett ones. “To take the idea even further, we decided to make an apron in organza, so it’s a striking contrast to something which is usually perceived as more durable and functional,” Tien adds. This concept ultimately encapsulates the ethos behind the collection’s name—Useless But Fabulous.

Tailoring —a brand signature—is central here, with suits and trench coats incorporating structured fabrics and formalwear elements as highlights.

Leftover fabric from garment production is transformed into the season’s accessories, headscarves, gloves, and scarves. It also features a collaboration with leather company Scabal including their patented 24-carat gold fabric as well as fluorescent pink and fluorescent yellow fabrics. “Our style is always about making something formal or rigid and disrupting that with a soft or unfinished element to create a sleek, modern silhouette,” Fang explains.

Over 900,000 fans tuned into Hu’s channel which livestreamed the show directly from 180 The Strand on the opening day of LFW and the news trending as a ‘hot topic’ on Weibo; all related posts received over 330 million reads in the past 30 days. Model Lù Xiānrén (dubbed the rural supermodel) opened the show. Lù was chosen by Hu as part of a new initiative launched by Hu with the China Fashion Designers Association to promote Chinese culture overseas.

Leaving the best for last, Hu himself closed the show in front of a packed house proving yet again, his work ethic and star appeal. “He’s the whole package: great personal style and a trusted voice,” shares fashion consultant Cui Youjin after the show. “He’s the ideal bridge between the west and Asia.”