At the 2015 Met Gala in New York, pop star Rihanna wore a yellow gown made by designer Guo Pei, which demonstrated China's rising influence in fashion. Increasingly, international fashion houses have made use of Chinese design motifs, such as the 12 animals of the zodiac, in their clothing designs.

Meng's experience reflects the trend among many domestic designers to draw on their heritage and cultural traditions and embrace their own cultural identity.

On the runways at recent fashion weeks in Paris, Milan, New York and London, an Asian aesthetic tapping into Chinese culture and history has continued to sweep beyond borders.

New Chinese style, or xinzhongshi, is a wave incorporating Chinese cultural symbolism into fashion design. Whether it's domestic designers interpreting traditional Chinese culture in a fashionable way, or international designers expressing a fresh take on Chinese style, the trend is a growing force on the runways.

For Meng, it is good time for Chinese designers to find their voice on the global stage, and to show how diverse and refined Chinese style can be today.