– By Millie Ho (www.millieho.net) –
Photos by Vincent Sung & courtesy of PR Siam Piwat
Produced by Le Flux Asia (www.lefluxasia.com)
Guo Pei, the Chinese haute couture designer best known for her glamorous designs inspired by royalty and traditional works, was the opening show at BIFW2017 on March 23, 2017 at Siam Paragon. Guo Pei was the designer behind the golden gown worn by Rihanna to the 2015 Met Gala, which famously took over 50,000 hours to create, a dedication to craft and old world glamour that shone through at the unveiling of her collection.
Delicate, minimalist piano music opened the show, mixing with the wisps of smoke falling over the dark stage to create an ambience of almost fairy tale wonder. One by one, models emerged on the polished, grey runway, moving slowly with a regal quality, or perhaps treading carefully due to the weight of their shimmery, embroidery-heavy gowns.
Pei, who loves visiting museums from around the world, showed her international influences with each new diva: there was a silver, fluid gown reminiscent of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom; a baby blue domed Cinderella dress, held together with an embroidered bowtie that bared the model’s shoulders; a black and gold piece with the silhouette of a mink coat worn by English royalty, complete with a matching black purse and cocktail hat. The crowd buzzed with awe when more queens appeared in the later half of the show: a cobalt blue gown that trailed onto the platform like a river of crystals; figure-hugging gold evening dresses that lit up like the sun with each fluid stride; a royal purple gown with an enormous crinoline and a centerpiece of intricate gold beadwork.
Bejeweled crowns, updos befitting of monarchs, and sculpted, geometric high heels were commonplace, as was the sense that Guo Pei borrows heavily from history and international influences. “People often view that modernity, trends and fame are the most important factors of being a designer, but I see it differently,” Pei said. “Since the beginning, I adhere to the core value depicting my design identity. That core value includes the intricate techniques of traditional embroideries and patterns inspired by Chinese royalty. For 30 years of working, I have been drawing inspiration from traditional works shown in museums across the world.”
Guo Pei’s dedication to her design philosophy shows up in her labour intensive creations and handiwork. Her show was not simply the unveiling of a collection, but a dramatic and exquisite event, proving that haute couture is indeed alive and well.
