Clothes reflect the host country and style of the Apec leaders

The clothing worn by leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ceremony last night sought to reflect a rapidly growing superpower that seeks to innovate while preserving tradition, designers say.

Following the Apec tradition of donning locally designed, culturally cognizant clothing, Apec state leaders and their companions wore Chinese suits and dresses in Beijing.

The men showed up in outfits with jacquard brocade, decorative patterns that reflect the waves of the sea, stand-up collars and raglan sleeves. The women leaders and wives of state leaders also wore Chinese-style clothing with a feminine flare.

“We call this the New Chinese Suit,” designer Wu Qingqing said in a phone interview. New because China has emerged as a world superpower since it last hosted the Apec summit in 2001 in Shanghai. “And also because this is an era of innovation,” Wu said.

A team of Chinese designers has been preparing the clothing for a year. They chose a variety of colours, including burgundy, which was worn by Presidents Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping last night, sapphire and dark brown.

The tradition of wearing local attire that reflects the fashion and tradition of the host country began with US President Bill Clinton, who handed out bomber jackets at the Seattle Apec in 1993. Other leaders followed suit.