This Day, That Year: March 20

Editor's note: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China.

Shanghai has long been the fashion frontier in China.

In March 1986, the Shanghai Garment Industry Association was established to sew up new prospects for the city's garment industry.

It vowed to maintain the municipality's reputation as the country's fashion leader and a source of high-grade clothing. An item on March 20, 1986, in China Daily showed designers and dressmakers in Shanghai joining in the association.

In 2001, Shanghai Fashion Week was launched. Twice a year, the week appears on the calendars of international fashion bloggers and editors, as it provides an insight into creative Chinese design.

China's fashion industry is now in tune with the rest of the world, with global brands rushing to stake their claims in the country and a number of Chinese models hitting the runways.

Since the first foreign label, Pierre Cardin, entered China in 1978, many luxury brands such as Chanel, Dior, Gucci and Luis Vuitton have followed.

To attract customers, Chinese models are routinely seen on the runways as part of the advertising campaigns of these luxury brands.

Liu Wen was the first Asian to model for Victoria's Secret. As a pioneer for Chinese models on the international stage, Liu was the eighth-highest-paid model in the world in 2015, earning $7 million from endorsement deals, according to Forbes magazine.

In 2017, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show took place in Shanghai with a record seven Chinese models hitting the runway. It was the first time the US lingerie brand had rolled out its annual extravaganza in an Asian country.

As China rises in the world, it is becoming increasingly common to see Chinese-inspired elements in high fashion.

And Chinese designers are grabbing significant attention on the global stage.

To celebrate the Year of the Pig, many designer brands are promoting products with pig themes.