For decades people in China modeled themselves on Chairman Mao who wore a simple worker's outfit in blue or grey. It was known as the "Mao Suit." To wear anything different meant that you stood out, and in China any sign of independent thought had always been dangerous. But China's doors have opened – and so have people's wardrobes.

This irrepressible film follows the fortunes of two attractive thirty- year-old Bejing fashion designers who are out to make their mark on the international fashion industry. Both women were born during the Cultural Revolution, but unlike their parents, they are dedicated to their careers, not to politics.

Sun Jian, witty and confident, and her friend Guo Pei, softer and more diplomatic, travel to Shanghai to participate in the most important fashion show. Once there, they are plagued by problems – the slide projectors don't work; the student models are uncomfortable with the bold clothes; the location doesn't attract the press. But the show must go on and the friends are optimistic that it will be better next year. A delightful film to show the human face of changing China.

"Tells us more about the state of China today than half a dozen worthy news bulletins." - The Observer (UK)
"Not only is the film full of optimism and character but it also offers intimate glimpses of a changing China." - Evening Standard (UK)

Windy City Documentary Festival, 1998
Hawaii International Film Festival, 1997