A screenshot of a fashion film screened at the "Dressing the Screen: The Rise of Fashion Film" exhibition in Beijing. (CRIENGLISH.com/Handout)

About 100 fashion films are being screened in Beijing at an exhibition dedicated to the history and development of the genre.

"Dressing the Screen: The Rise of Fashion Film" traces the origins of fashion film back to the 1940s in the UK, when fashion began to be a focus of filmmakers.

Visitors can catch screenings of such old films, as well as later-made films featuring works by such remarkable British designers as Ossie Clark and Vivienne Westwood.

The exhibition also screens fashion films focusing on modern designers including Holly Fulton, Fred Butler, and Gareth Pugh.

Kathryn Ferguson, one of the show`s two curators, says the exhibition provides a panorama of fashion film`s past and present in the UK.

Another curator, Shaway Yeh, has selected some fashion films to highlight its fast development in China.

The exhibition is jointly held by the British Council, Modern Media Group, and Swarovski Elements. It will run through to November 10 at the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art.