The cheongsam, a world - renowned national element and part of Chinese culture, has always been an endless source of inspiration for many designers. Compared with the bold and direct charm of Western women, the cheongsam represents the elegant qualities of Eastern women, which are both mysterious and gentle, free - spirited and full of allure.
Today, let's talk about how the cheongsam can create unique and subtle chemical reactions in the hands of foreign designers within the Western clothing structure and silhouette design.
The internationally famous fashion designer we're going to introduce today, John Galliano, also known as 'Pirate King', is a genius full of creativity. He always creates extreme, gorgeous, and unparalleled fashion aesthetics.
John Galliano was born in Gibraltar in 1960. At the age of 6, he moved to the UK with his parents. Due to poor family conditions, he lived in poor areas across the UK during his childhood. This exposure to diverse customs helped him develop a rich aesthetic sense. He is a pioneer among designers in exploring different regional cultures, and his works often feature a large number of Asian, African, and Afro - Latin elements.
In 1980, Galliano entered Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in the UK to study fashion design. Four years later, his graduation show inspired by the French Revolution stunned the fashion industry, marking the start of his decades - long design career.
At first, Galliano founded his own brand. However, his designs were too avant - garde, and the sales were not ideal. Later, with the discovery and support of fashion editor Anna Wintour, he entered the LV Group as the design director of Givenchy through a luxurious show and became the first British designer to lead a French fashion house.
But Galliano's free - thinking design style didn't match Givenchy's brand image. In 1996, LV officially appointed him as the head of Dior, which marked the peak of his design career and led Dior into another golden age.
In 1997, Galliano joined Dior and shocked the fashion world with a cheongsam show named 'Flowers on the Sea', kicking off his 15 - year glorious period at Dior.
Today, we'll focus on this 'Flowers on the Sea' cheongsam show. Even after nearly 30 years, it still amazes us.
He based the show on Anna May Wong (黄柳霜), the first Chinese - American actress in Hollywood, the first Chinese actress to leave her mark on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the first person to introduce 'Chinese style' to the world. In 2022, 60 years after her death, she became the first Chinese woman to appear on a US coin.
Choosing Anna May Wong for his first major show shows Galliano's love for Chinese culture. In a 2015 interview with Vogue magazine, he clearly stated his affection for Chinese culture and his interest in researching Chinese clothing, movies, paintings, and architecture.
Besides Anna May Wong, the show was also inspired by the Eastern beauties on old Shanghai calendars from the 1930s. At that time, Shanghai was at the peak of the integration of Eastern and Western cultures. Influenced by colonial culture and the rich heritage of the Jiangnan region, cheongsam - wearing women were both charming and modern.
The entire show was inspired by the cheongsam, using smooth silk or intricate brocade. Combined with typical traditional elements of the cheongsam such as frog buttons, cross - collars, standing collars, cloud shoulders, and slits, along with delicate embroidery, an Oriental beauty's silhouette was full of charm.
On this basis, Galliano incorporated some unexpected Western fashion elements, like luxurious furs, lace with a boudoir charm, and tweed with an aristocratic air. With props like oil - paper umbrellas and folding fans, a romantic and gorgeous dream came to life.
Some details of the show were particularly wonderful. For example, combining the standing collar, a symbol of high status in ancient China, with folds. The standing collar gives Eastern women a sense of dignity and elegance, while the folds add a touch of laziness and freedom. Their combination is a perfect balance.
There were many similar design treatments in the show, such as combining the cheongsam with wide - collared dresses, adding tassels to the end of overly feminine fabrics, using irregular cuts on the skirt hem, or shortening the length of the cheongsam. The cheongsam can be both a symbol of traditional elegance and modern charm.
Color was also a highlight of the show. There were two main color schemes: one dominated by red, yellow, and brown, representing the typical female beauty in Chinese traditional culture, which is bright, mellow, and gentle; the other mainly in blue and black, with the blue cheongsam being especially charming, evoking the tranquility of the Jiangnan water towns.
John Galliano gave a new interpretation of the cheongsam. His approach was to reshape rather than destroy, to breathe new life into the cheongsam. Through this show, we can feel his respect and love for Eastern culture, as well as his active participation in it.
Whether you're a fan of traditional Chinese style or modern fashion, this 'Flowers on the Sea' cheongsam show is a masterpiece that combines the best of both worlds. It not only showcases the unique charm of the cheongsam but also demonstrates the power of cultural integration in fashion design. In the future, we can expect more designers to draw inspiration from different cultures and create more amazing works.
