Beloved Chinese supermodel He Cong covers Vogue China’s September 2023 issue, lensed by Shanghai-based fashion photographer Leslie Zhang [IG].

Vivienne Sun styles the photoshoot with creative direction by Matt McDonald.

For all the armchair fashion ‘experts’ already showing their myopic view of the world by commenting that it’s too early for a fashion story about the 2024 Olympics, Vogue China says that the story tributes the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games, also called the Asian Games, in action from September 23 to October 8, 2023.

Hangzhou and the Silk Roads

The port city of Hangzhou, the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang Province East China, has been a strategic hub along the Silk Roads since ancient times. Known as ‘the House of Silk’, the city was one of the seven ancient capitals of China with silk fabrics uncovered in the region dating back 4,700 years to the Neolithic Liangzhu culture (3400-2250 BC).

Anne of Carversville is continually focused on the human migrations that are part of the Silk Roads ancient history. These stories of human multicultural migrations and explorations exist as a universal glue that created synergies among early human traders.

We tend to remember the wars, and we can’t separate trade from politics. But the Silk Roads stories are regarded as very positive in advancing the story of our global community in ancient times when humans began travelling the world and meeting each other.

The history of Hangzhou's foreign trade in silk, tea, porcelain and other commodities dates back thousands of years. Its location on the East China Sea made Hangzhou a natural centre for trade, and, during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280 CE) it became one of the largest ports in China. Explore Hangzhou’s history at UNESCO.

Fashion and Sport

Equally relevant is Vogue China’s observation that the collaboration between sport and fashion has not diminished in recent years. AOC argues that it’s actually increasing worldwide— not that there is a debate between us.

Indeed, the 2024 Olympics in Paris will fuel the connection between sport and fashion. In these very difficult times where we are fighting nationalism and the surges of right-wing extremism, the synergies between fashion and sport act to bring nations together in nondestructive competition.

In the hands of global luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren, the intersection of sport and fashion today advances a more universal theme of liberation and self-confidence for women and all people of color.

The Vogue media brand has a long history of featuring sport in its pages — often with an elitist pov, AOC reminds us.

Fashion and lifestyle media at large is playing catchup, not leading. They are the caboose today, not an engine as they once were. Media executes an important role in broadcasting brand messages and — under fire — now communicating a wider range of human stories.

Brands, Self and Community

Nike’s revenue in 2022 was about $51 billion, making it more than twice the size of Louis Vuitton, and a lead driver of the excellence of sport in advancing progressive values and the empowerment of all peoples.

At the center of Nike’s influence is the individual and her/his place on a team. Does the individual have the determination and commitment to advancing his/her own skills in sport? AND what is their access to gyms, clubs and mentoring to advance these high-potential skills and talents?

In team sports, how does the individual both inspire team members and functionally advance group success.

AOC has never argued that brands like Nike, Louis Vuitton or Ralph Lauren — and the large lineup of equally competitive brands behind them — chose the road they now travel as values-driven brands, navigating complex political landscapes.

Instead, these luxury and sport brands have risen to the universal moment, understanding the impact they have on global cultures, and not only through their marketing but also their investments in people and our communities.

The Savvy Margaret Zang, EIC Vogue China

The opportunity for magazines like Vogue China to take a key role in expressing the Asian view, and also the view of luxury brands selling in Asia, makes it more influential than many other Vogues.

China’s consumer-driven economy is critical to the success of luxury brands. The economic rivalry between China and America continues, and our political terrain is complicated both nationally and together. Chinese filmmaker, writer, model, creative director and Editor in Chief of Vogue China Margaret Zhang is in a unique position to advance China’s prestige in the global community and to assist luxury brands in China.

The Australian-born Chinese fashion multihyphenate operates with significant depth and awareness of her role, her reach and her potential to advance a ‘Silk Roads’ style cultural dialogue with the international human community at large. Luxury brands are lucky to have her in this role.

Zhang is the perfect young woman leader to head Vogue China in these times — acting as an unofficial, young and very savvy cultural UN ambassador, beyond her duties as EIC.

This September 2023 fashion story is a beauty. It inspires us to pick up the China story and advance it further, exploring and educating readers about China’s own history and its interaction with the larger human community in our collective journey to now. ~ Anne

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