The Swedish Institute is running an exhibition to showcase the country's latest ideas in fashion. Photos by Wang Jing / China Daily

Gone are the days when Swedes were linked only to buxom blond beauties and chunky meatballs. For the fashion-conscious in Beijing, the Nordic nation is now better known as the birthplace of elegant simplicity, a reputation carved out by ultra-popular furniture brand IKEA and high-street clothing store H&M.

Swedish choreographer and dancer Virpi Pahkinen performs with a Chinese dance troupe at the exhibition's opening.

But while these economical labels certainly know how to master the market, they are by no means the only export of the country.

Currently in White Box Art Museum at 798 Art Zone, an ongoing exhibition presented by the Swedish Institute - called Swedish Fashion - Exploring a New Identity - is attempting to offer an alternative to the overseas idea scene of Swedish design.

By inviting a wave of 13 designers who have seen degrees of fame in the last 10 years, the exhibition aims to shift the focus of Beijing trendsetters from fashion labels to the clothing itself.

On display are 25 carefully-selected pieces of design work, as well as five short video works, to help viewers understand fashion as a separate form of cultural expression, "also worthy of an exhibition", according to Maria Ben Saad, the curator.

Diana Orving, 25, is one such designer at the exhibition. Orving said she never attended a professional academy to learn fashion but instead picked up everything she needed to know from her mother. She has been designing her own clothes since high school.

The self-taught designer's works are not only found in Stockholm boutique stores but also in the United States and Japan. Her works express a unified natural feel, heavily set in color and exhibiting a unique understanding of design.

"Clothing is about people and their clothes, perhaps more than it is about fashion," Orving said.

A red, single-piece silk dress by Orving, on display at the exhibition, is a perfect example of this emphasis of color. But far from being simply dazzling, the dress can also be used for casual purposes by rearranging the waist belt.

Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria attended the exhibition's grand opening on Nov 12.

Jin Xing, a famous Chinese choreographer and dancer, is also involved in the exhibition.

Members of her dance troupe and Swedish star Virpi Pahkinen gave a special performance right after the exhibition's opening on Nov 12, a special introduction presided over by Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria.

The dancers were all dressed in clothes that are in the show and any props used were purchased from IKEA.

As a self-proclaimed "faithful follower" of Swedish fashion, Jin said she is constantly impressed by the refined lines that run through Swedish fashion, as well as their practical sense.

Visitors to the exhibition were equally pleased.

"The clothes are not only suitable for models on the catwalk, like most avant-garde designs," said Guo Wendong, a member of the audience who watched the dance performance.

"Perhaps this is why Swedish design is so unique."

China Daily

Self-taught designer Diana Orving makes sure one of her creations looks just right at the event.

(China Daily 10/21/2010)