From the fabric of social awareness

Designer and artist Liang Mingyu is dedicated to turning discarded jeans, everyday waste and recycled material into fashion or installation art, to express her concern over pollution. [Photo by LIU ZHANKUN/FOR CHINA DAILY]

Liang was born in 1956 and started working in fashion design in 1986. To her, fashion is a fundamental everyday need, and similar to any other art form, fashion can portray grand concepts and thoughts.

"My two identities are paradoxical. As a designer, I am supposed to create fashion, known for its polished appearance. After working for several decades, my commercial garment designs were indeed well liked by consumers. But as an artist, my eyes see the filth and desperation behind fashion — that is, pollution, overstocking and carbon emissions," she says.

Feeling that the industry operates against her morals, she let go of her fashion brand many years ago. By her example, she hopes younger designers will use recyclable materials, minimize stocks, and boycott animal fur, and hopes they adhere to eco-friendly principles and innovative materials.