Christian Dior is set to present a collection of 100 haute couture dresses at the Chinese National Museum in Beijing the 10th December. “L’Esprit Dior” Exhibition will present the french fashion house first looks untill the first Raf Simons’ collection. 100 haute couture dresses will be presented to the public alongside a series of photos by Patrick Demarchelier and other Chinese works of art.
Perhaps no Western designer made more direct overtures to the Chinese market over the past few years than Diane von Furstenberg, whose DVF brand currently operates four mainland China locations in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu.
Diane Von Furstenberg's "Red Ball" in Shanghai last year
Though her brand’s expansion efforts have been overshadowed in 2012 by recent high-profile events like “Lanvin Loves Beijing,” the grand opening of Alexander Wang’s first Beijing store…etc, von Furstenberg’s ability to mingle among and bring together a diverse group of Chinese media elites, artists, and fashion insiders has made quite a splash in China.
Von Furstenberg’s enviable stature in the Chinese social media world — she currently has more Sina Weibo fans than Twitter followers.
This week, the Wall Street Journal caught up with Diane von Furstenberg to discuss her thoughts on “the China century” and the development of the Chinese female consumer over the past 20 years. See below
Via Jingdaily
Running through June 27 at Beijing’s Today Art Museum, this week the first-ever China exhibition by top fashion photographer Mario Testino launched in the Chinese capital.
Supported by longtime Testino collaborator Burberry and Mercedes-Benz, the “Private View” exhibition includes nearly 100 of Testino’s most well-known photos, and kicked off this week with an opening attended by Testino, Burberry chief creative officer Christopher Bailey and the ubiquitous editor-in-chief of Vogue China, Angelica Cheung. As Testino said this week of his first show in the Middle Kingdom, “I wanted to show my work in China, somewhere I have never exhibited before.”
Mario Testino "Private View"
“Also, Beijing is an incredible place, full of surprises. You get a real sense of discovery there.” Added Testino.
Best enjoyed by fans of Burberry — shots featuring the brand proliferate at the exhibition, unsurprisingly, considering it’s a sponsor — the exhibition is nonetheless worth a look for anybody with an interest in fashion photography.
Introduction video of the exhibition by Christopher Bailey and Mario Testino
(Via JingDaily)
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Following Armani’s “One Night Only in Beijing” event takes place on May 31 at the New Tank in the city’s 798 Art District, the brand will make perhaps its most ambitious foray into the world of social media to date with the launch of its new #ArmaniTweetTalks series on June 1.
Hyped as “a series of open discussions taking place entirely on Twitter,” the series brings together a group of fashion bloggers, editors and industry types to discuss a topic — in the case of the first installment, “China, the New Fashion Superpower” — and answer questions submitted by Twitter users from around the world.
According to Armani, the first #ArmaniTweetTalks will delve into China’s growing presence on the world fashion stage: “As Chinese models, actors and editors become a staple of Western red carpets, front rows and mastheads, we look at how this will remodel the current fashion panorama.”
Discussing the first topic on June 1 will be Angelica Cheung (Editor-in-Chief, Vogue China), Hung Huang (Publisher, Blogger, TV Commentator and Tastemaker), Godfrey Deeny (Globetrotting Fashion Critic), Federico Marchetti (Founder & CEO, YOOX Group), Susanna Lau (Fashion Writer and Blogger,stylebubble.co.uk) and Tommy Ton (Photographer, jakandjil.com). The virtual discussion will be moderated by fashion editor and author Peter Howarth.
(Via Jingdaily)
A dramatically lit Mary J.Blige shared billing with a wide-ranging fashion show as Giorgio Armani landed in Beijing’s art district for a “One Night Only” fashion and music extravaganza on Thursday.
Mary J. Blige
Armani’s “One Night Only in Beijing” fashion show and party brought 1,000 people to a massive former water tank in what was once an industrial zone and has, in more recent years, been transformed into the city’s go-to destination for art and performance.
Giorgio Armani
The Armani gala inspired rock legend Tina Turner to make her first trip to China, where she visited the Forbidden City, didn’t have quite enough time to take in the Great Wall and marveled at the modern heights of skyscraper-filled Beijing.
Tina Turner
The fashion show, which started a bit late after a slight mechanical glitch, included a wide array of Armani’s designs for men and women, with more than 100 looks from three collections. Models strutted around the circular runway, which matched the shape of the water tank in a concept design drawn by Armani himself. Behind their heads, a giant cylindrical video screen scrolled night scenes from Shanghai streets and more abstract graphics as the collections moved past.
In a special nod to this still-fast-growing market, often described as the world’s bright spot for luxury brands, the designer unveiled 15 new looks at the end of the show from the Privé couture collection. At the center was a magnificent black lacquered gown with a gold dragon draping across the body and black feather accents at the shoulder. The centerpiece style in black and gold was surrounded by others in an array of gowns in pale greens, creating stunning contrast and effect for the show’s final moments.
A view of the front row
(via WWD)
Ralph Lauren Corp. is pushing into China at last, and expects the move will lift its business worldwide. The company plans to open 60 stores in Greater China within the next three years. The first 15 units, slated to start opening in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong around mid-fall, will bow by the end of fiscal 2013, around the end of March.
Once that presence expands, the company expects it will get a bigger piece of the business from Chinese tourists traveling to Europe. The company is still identifying premier locations for the balance of the 45 new sites, and it already has a few firm commitments in place for locations in shopping malls scheduled to open in 2014.
Ralph Lauren's China-inspired F/W 2011 collection (Image: AFP)
Comparing the company to other luxury brands, Roger Farah, president and chief operating officer, said a larger percentage of their business in Europe comes from Chinese tourists, reaching up to 20 percent, compared with Ralph Lauren’s 2 percent.
Roger Farah, president of Polo Ralph Lauren, eyes on China (Image: Reuters)
The Chinese boost will come in handy in Europe, where Farah admitted the firm is seeing the impact of the economic travails in the euro zone. As a result, the company is cautious in its estimates for European sales since it is seeing a slowdown in the business. He said, “We [do] expect to see increases for fiscal 2013, but lower in terms of gains compared with last year,”said Farah.
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Launched last year, the Beijing outpost of the French micro-chain S.T.A.Y. (an acronym for Simple Table Alléno Yannick) at the Shangri-La Hotel manages to stand out in a city that has, in recent years, become a magnet for some of the world’s top chefs. S.T.A.Y.’s attention to detail and focus on creating the ultimate dining experience belies its growing global footprint.
Brian Chan, the designer of S.T.A.Y. Beijing, has deeply incorporated the restaurant’s communal table concept into the ambiance of the space, with large tables and tasteful Lazy Susans allowing for easy access to shared dishes.
S.T.A.Y. Beijing
At the far end of the large and open, yet cozy restaurant lies a “pastry library” showcasing Couteau’s delightful creations and tempting diners during the Sunday brunch dessert buffet. Extending this tastefulness into localization for Beijing foodies, S.T.A.Y. has incorporated some aspects of Chinese dining culture, including chopsticks.
As for the dishes themselves, Highlights included a fresh, cold and crispy red radish canapé dipped in melted butter with a sea salt garnish, a unique variation that simulated a chocolate-covered strawberry, as well as a delicious breaded and deep-fried gougeonette fish served with homemade tartar sauce.
With S.T.A.Y. Beijing still in its first year, Gilbert feels that, as a foreign chef in Beijing, “you really need to spend one year to understand the seasons and the produce. We know the seasons [and] the produce in France, but every country is not really the same.” Both Gilbert and Couteau are dedicated to incorporating the freshest of local and international products into their creations, importing from around the world.
(By Zandie Brockett Via Jingdaliy)
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[dropcap]J[/dropcap]ean Paul Gaultier just made his first trip to the Chinese capital to host a fashion show of his fall women’s and men’s ready-to-wear and couture collections. Close to a thousand people from all over Greater China crammed into the city’s Chaoyang Urban Planning Museum
Friday night to get a glimpse of Gautier’s latest designs. VIP attendees included Miss World Zhang Zilin, actress Jennifer Tse, actor Simon Yam and model Qi Qi.
The crowd was clearly about Gaultier’s style. There were enough striped bodies to command a naval ship, and enough kilts to start a ceilidh. And in a city that doesn’t usually condone homosexuality, and certainly never dressing up in drag, all persuasions appeared to be proudly and glamorously represented.
Two weeks after Gaultier’s 60th birthday and almost 40 years into his career, Gaultier’s visit to Beijing prompted numerous questions relating to his age. Yet the “enfant terrible” seemedunperturbed by the constant reminders of his seniority.
The designer gave no sign that he’s considering retirement; instead, he was eager to talk about his plans for the future. Dressed casually in cargo pants and a T-shirt a day before the Beijing show, he talked animatedly. At the mention of Madonna, his enthusiasm doubled. “It’s like a love storythat goes on. I love her and admire her,” he said. “I think she’s a genius. She definitely has a realsense of fashion.” The two are collaborating on the star’s upcoming tour, MDNA, which kicks off at the end of May.
He declined to reveal any details about what he was designing; saying only that it would be seen on Madonna and her dancers in a section of the concert. Straight after Beijing, it was off to Cannes to join the judging panel of the film festival.
(Via WWD)
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[dropcap]B[/dropcap]EIJING — As a child, China was the last place Alexander Wang wanted to be. Uprooted from his San Francisco home at the age of 12, when his Taiwanese- American mother moved to Shanghai, the budding fashion designer spent a year inChina’s financial capital — and hated it, rejecting an exclusive private school there to return to boarding school in the U.S. the following year. “If there was something like this then, I might have changed my mind. Wang said, “It’s very surreal to see my name on a building in Beijing.”
Wang’s journey to the Chinese Mainland to open his flagship has felt like a homecoming of sorts for the New York-based designer. Wang, who speaks Mandarin, has traveled frequently over the years to Shanghai, where his mother still lives; his father is based in Hong Kong.
On Friday night he was, with a modest red-carpet event followed by a thumping underground parking lot party featuring DJ Diplo and rapper A$AP Rocky. Actress Zoe Kravitz — a friend of Wang’s — and her boyfriend, actor Penn Badgley,flew to Beijing to join him for the opening,along with a collection of Chinese models and stars.
The brand has had limited exposure in China so far, carried by the Hong Kong-based Lane Crawford department store and multibrand boutique Shine inBeijing, and in the multibrand boutique Joyce in Shanghai. The designer and histeam fly next to Hong Kong, where on Wednesday they have an event with a popup shop connected to the Joyce boutique in Kowloon’s Harbour City.
This year will see the opening of three shops on the Mainland — the flagship in Beijing and two others later this year inShanghai. By the end of the year, there will be 14 locations across Asia, including shopsin-shop in Seoul, Bangkok and Singapore.
Key to Wang’s marketing strategy in China, as back home, is online presence. With both Facebook and Twitter blocked by Chinese censors, Wang has launched a Sina Weibo account — the leading Chinese Web portal — to draw in Chinese followers, and is expanding the company’s e-commerce reach to include a Mandarin-language site and shipping to Mainland China, Hong Kong and Japan.
Unlike the New York store, where the focus is on natural light and preserving some of the building’s heritage features, the Beijing store includes more experimentation in design and display. Working with architect and designer Joseph Dirand, they have emphasized marble and bronze, including a marble wall cut from one stone that the designer likens to a Rorschach inkblot test.
(Via WWD)
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[dropcap]R[/dropcap]omeo Gigli is making a comeback in a collaboration with influential retailer Joyce.
The men’s and women’s Joyce by Romeo Gigli collection for fall will be unveiled on Joyce’s online store on July 1. It will then be presented at the chain’s Hong Kong and Beijing venues on July 24, followed by Shanghai and Venice, where Joyce will open its first pop-up store in the Italian city at the end of August. Gigli is expected to make personal appearances, and special window installations, combining the new line and archival pieces, will highlight the project.
In an exclusive preview, the intellectual designer, one of the hottest names around in the Eighties, showed an enduring fascination with fashion, unfazed by his ongoing legal battles with different previous owners and his short-lived collections with complicated names, such as Io Ipse Idem and XII XII XLIX par Romeo Gigli.
A look from the Joyce by Romeo Gigli collection for fall 2012 Photo By Dominique Maitre
The designer, still sporting a Peter Pan-like frame clad in one of his form-hugging looks and reveling in the project with Joyce, shunned nostalgia and dismissed any thought of drawing inspiration from his past. “I look ahead and behind me, but I live my own times, my daily life, marked by the engagements with my wife and my daughter,” said Gigli. He explained that he readily agreed to work with Joyce, “one of his first clients in the Eighties,” indulging in “the pleasure” of designing, with “the same attention” as in the past.
Romeo Gigli Photo By Dominique Maitre
The collection features 35 women’s and 20 men’s looks for fall, and the designer is already at work on the spring 2013 season. Andrew Keith, president of Joyce, said the project fulfills a long-standing dream, since the company worked with Gigli for the launch of his very first collection. Keith defined Gigli as “an amazing creative force” and praised “his use of sumptuous fabrics and the finesse with which he layers the different textures of fine silks, velvets, brocades.” Many of these fabrics were developed exclusively for this collection, made even more special, he said, by Gigli’s unique “artist’s sensitivity to color.”
Romeo Gigli RTW Spring 1986
Romeo Gigli RTW Fall 1986
For fall, Gigli said he did not want an Asia-centric collection, but that he did wish to emphasize “the face of Asian women and their gestures.” He also took into consideration the region’s weather and opted for lightness of weight and textures, as seen on a purple, feather-light silk and mohair coat or on a beaver fur coat with a cape.
The men’s collection includes fitted and extralong jackets and creased heavy cotton pants, reversible coats with silver fox-fur collars and comfortable tweed and flannel jackets. Colorful shirts come with high collars and bow ties. Fitted mohair pullovers are worn as vests, decorated with stripes and floral patterns. A men’s coat retails for between 14,500 and 48,900 Hong Kong dollars, or $1,868 and $6,302.
(Via WWD)
[dropcap]V[/dropcap]acheron Constatin has unveiled its third flagship Beijing, on the ground floor of Beijing Macau Center, bringing the total number of stores worldwide to 30. This is their third boutique in Beijing along.
Vacheron Constantin Beijing
Armani Casa has moved into Miami’s new design district, with a 340sqm space at 10 NE 39th Street. It is the first Armani Casa store in Miami and the third in the United States.
Armani Casa Miami
Dior Homme has launched a pop-up space in New York’s SoHo, whilst its 57th Street undergoes renovation. The Greene Street location features ready-to-wear, footwear, eyewear, leather goods, watches, jewellery and fragrance.
Dior Homme New York
Jimmy Choo has unveiled its first dual gender store, after expanding and renovating its boutique in Hong Kong’s Elements mall. The storefront features side-by-side entrances for women and men’s, each with its own dedicated shopping environment.
Jimmy Choo Hong Kong
Niche perfume brand Odin New York has opened its first pop-up shop in collaboration with Snarkitecture. The pop up shop will remain open for six weeks, and will include all six of Odin’s unisex and home fragrances.
Odin New York
Sotheby’s is soon to open a 1,400sqm permanent exhibition space in Hong Kong, and will celebrate with a string of exhibitions running through the end of May.
Sotheby’s Hong Kong
(Via LUXURY SOCIETY)
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]hursday, April 26, Fan Bing Bing, Zhou Yu Dong, Ni Ni, Dong Die,Godfrey Gao, Peter Ho, Su You Peng, Qi Qi, Simon Yam and and 800 other guests, all dressed in Lanvin, gathered at the ”GrandHotel Beijing ”to celebrate 10 years of creation by Alber Elbaz forLanvin.
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]ergio Rossi, the Italian luxury footwear and accessories brand, part of PPR Group, has recently embarked on an upgrade and expansion process of its international stores network, following the unveiling of a unique retail concept.
Sergio Rossi's boutique in London after innovation
In Asia Pacific, the stores in Hong Kong Pacific Place and Beijing Shin Kong Place have just been updated with the new store concept, and the city of Guangzhou has warmly welcomed a new Sergio Rossi flagship store.
Sergio Rossi’s new store design concept unveils now its new Chinese flagship at Sanlitun, Beijing.
Sanlitun Store ''windows''
A playful tribute to femininity and an alluring homage to the world’s emblematic screen icons, the Sergio Rossi Beijing flagship store celebrates womanly beauty and power, with the shape of the furnishings Inspired by the high heeled shoe’s curvaceous silhouette.
In collaboration with Sergio Rossi’s Creative Director, Francesco Russo, the London-based design company, Studioilse, translated the core values of the Sergio Rossi brand to make the new concept store. This prestigious, Beijing flagship store, offers a 250 square meter retail on two selling floors that invite the customer to two, distinct, voyeuristic, mise-en-scène to enjoy and try on the shoes.
(source: Sergio Rossi )
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n May 18, HUGO BOSS will present its new Fall-Winter Collection 2012. The fashion show will be held in Beijing’s National Agricultural Exhibition Center. You’ll need a pair of two-color glasses to follow the show in live. Indeed HUGO BOSS will unveil their creations for BOSS Black Men and Women and BOSS Selection live and in 3D on their official website and facebook page for.
The 3D project by HUGO BOSS is entitled “Beijing New Dimension” ,advertising campaigns highlighting, the flagship looks and movies including interviews and backstage of the event in 3D will be available soon.
The 3D world of HUGO BOSS‘s new collection will be available on iPad, smartphones,computers and on most social networks. Free 3D glasses are available to order for that behind the screen, viewers feel like the front row!
For this unique evening, 1,000 guests are invited, including many national and international celebrities. 3D screens will be installed inside the National Exhibition Centre of Agriculture to guide guests to the podium, throughout 94 meters.
“This is a very special event to take a sneak preview of this collection. The fact that the parade is broadcasted on the internet and in 3D fits perfectly with a growing Asian market.”Said Claus-Dietriech Lahrs, CEO of HUGO BOSS.
