21 October 2014
On 20 October, the World Cities Culture Forum (Shanghai) Symposium 2014 took place at Yuanchuang Creative Industry Park. The theme of this forum is Trend Setters: Future of Fashion in World Cities. Mr Lou Wei, Chairman of Shanghai Theatre Academy, Ms Hang Chunfang, Member of Standing Committee and Director of Publicity Department of CPC Jing’an District Committee, and Mr Paul Owens, Convener of World Cities Culture Report gave speeches at the opening ceremony of the forum. The opening ceremony was chaired by Mr Huang Changyong, Vice President of Shanghai Theatre Academy. Mr Cao Kejian, Vice Mayor of Jing’an District Government, attended the activities of the forum.
In 2012, with the support of the Mayor of London’s Office, the Shanghai Theatre Academy and BOP Consulting of UK co-sponsored the inaugural World Cities Culture Forum (Shanghai) Symposium. At that meeting, the representatives of eight cities globally got together to share knowledge and information and set future plans and objectives for cultural development. Two and half years later, the forum expanded successfully into a global network which consists of 27 member cities across all continents of the world and engages in research, advocacy and other activities on a continuous basis.
World Cities Culture Forum (Shanghai) Symposium 2013 received the great support of the government of Shanghai’s Jing’an District and became one of the brand name forums on the annual event calendar of the Jing’an District. The forum of that year featured the theme of World Cities: Strategy for Design and Creativity”. The forum was also listed as one of the activities of the Shanghai Design Capital Week 2013.
This year’s World Cities Culture Forum (Shanghai) Symposium has its theme on fashion. It is very suitable to discuss this theme in Shanghai. As a city, Shanghai’s status as a fashion capital has become increasingly prominent, and the Jing’an District happens to be the centre of Shanghai’s fashion industry. With the great support of the Jing’an District Government, this year’s forum has been listed as a core event of the Design Capital Week and a key event of the 16th Shanghai International Arts Festival. Under the guidance of the Office of Organizing Committee of Shanghai Design Capital Week, this year’s forum was co-sponsored by the Jing’an District Government and Shanghai Theatre Academy and co-organized by the Metropolitan Cultural Audit Centre of Shanghai Theatre Academy, Cultural Innovation Office of Jing’an District Government, BOP Consulting of UK and World Cities Culture Collaborative Innovation Centre.
This year’s forum invited the guest speakers from Shanghai and other world cities to talk about their understanding about fashion and city. Fashion is an important cultural indicator to measure a city. Usually, fashion may establish the cultural status of a city. In today’s environment of intensive global economic competitions, fashion is increasingly reflective of the unique culture of a world city. The guest speakers discussed from the perspectives of the cultural and economic index of a fashion capital, transition of global fashion framework, competition between oriental and western fashion streams and change of balance between these two streams and, in the meantime, shared the activities, plans and strategies of their respective cities in development the fashion industry.
