Chinese designers want to shred the old "made-in-China" label for a chic "designed-in-China" tag. The Shanghai International Fashion Culture Festival showcases our homegrown talent, writes Michelle Zhang.Chinese designers' original works highlight the 13th annual Shanghai International Fashion Culture Festival starting this week. Homegrown designers - some of them well known - and students will present their latest collections over the next month.Designers include those who have already made a name for themselves overseas, such as Xie Feng, Wang Wei and Wu Xuekai, plus regional "superstar" Qiu Hao.Runways have been set up at Park 2 Space, a new creative zone that once was China's first shipyard manufacturing base; ShanghaiMart in the Hongqiao District, and Donghua University, one of China's best design schools."The fashion festival will be a platform for local designers to showcase their works and learn from each other," Shanghai Vice Mayor Ai Baojun told a news conference. "We want to build Shanghai into an incubator of fashion design, and change people's thinking about Chinese fashion from 'made in China' to 'designed in China'."The first Shanghai Fashion Designers Awards ceremony will be held Monday at Bei Gan Shan International Arts Center in Qingpu District."Shanghai has always been the fashion capital of China, if not Asia," says Yuan Xuehui, secretary general of the event organizing committee. "The awards ceremony is meant to draw people's attention back to Shanghai-based fashion designers, who have been working so hard but have not been treated seriously enough."Fashions by the winning designers will be displayed at the Qingpu venue and Pudong's Super Brand Mall next week.At the same time, Chinese domestic designers are being encouraged to go outside the country for greater exposure and likely a brighter future in an international setting.A graduate of London's Central Saint Martins, Shanghai-based designer Qiu makes his debut at the Singapore Fashion Week starting tomorrow. Considered a regional superstar, Qiu will launch his seasonal collection, "Something Growing," in the garden city.Qiu established his namesake brand in Shanghai in 2006. His designs have been prominently featured in Chinese fashion magazines such as Vogue and Harpers Bazaar.A preview of his collection was catwalked in Shanghai. Inspired by "sensitive, confident modern women," the collection represents Qiu's aesthetic of fluid lines, stark shapes and immaculate cutting. He uses luxurious, natural fabrics and materials such as silk, wool, lambskin, and snakeskin.The palette is beige, gray, muted silver, dark gold and shades of white. "My clothes are designed for women who enjoy going on a journey of discovery, and can be worn in endless ways," says the 30-year-old. "Each time the wearer will be able to gain a new insight about herself. The clothes are created to bring her confidence and pleasure."For his Singapore debut, Qiu has created several pieces exclusively for that even, including light lambskin jackets for summer, avant-garde chandelier crystal necklaces and lingerie created with unconventional fabrics and fibers.