Why Did The Chinese Wind Become A Sauce For The International Design Community?

1951, French designer

The design of a white bottom dress is all over the world, but no one will think of it. Its inspiration comes from a piece of medical case of Zhang Xu, a calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty.

Right three is Dior's calligraphy dress.

Last year, the skirt appeared as "exhibits in China".

At this time, China has just entered the peace time out of the 7 time zones, and few people pay attention to foreign countries.

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In May of last year, the theme exhibition of "China: mirror and water moon" in New York Metropolitan Museum of Art was completely different. The organizers deliberately flew to Beijing to hold a press conference, hoping to attract as many Chinese audiences as possible.

However, the feedback from China is not necessarily what the exhibitors would like to say: the western world's enthusiasm for the Chinese wind is still undiminished.

Not long ago, the documentary "the first Monday of May" restored the preparation process of the exhibition: curator Andrew Bolton, through a large number of desk research work, selected 140 sets of costumes related to China, hoping to show the influence of Chinese culture on Western designers.

Besides Dior's calligraphy gown, it also includes

In the autumn and winter of 2006, we launched a silk dress and long skirt, Ralph Lauren 2011 autumn winter series.

Curator Andrew Bolton

Although time has spanned over 60 years, the elements come back and forth: calligraphy, blue and white porcelain, dragon and Phoenix, Dahong and Daikin.

A little bit of attention will find that they are relics of the 17-18 century easterly westward period.

At that time, Europeans traveled to Asia by land, sea and land to do business, travel and missionary work.

The Chinese silk, lacquer ware, embroidery, porcelain and other objects brought back to it become the commodities that the aristocrats contend for.

French "

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The term came into being.

Since supply exceeds demand, the Westerners began to create their own.

Whether in ceramics, architecture, household goods, or painting, clothing, there are Chinese elements, which inevitably "four anomalies."

For example, the eighteenth Century "Chinese emperor" series of textile blankets, combined with Chinese characters, tropical plants, and the weird carriage of the West.

It was not until the time when the western wind and the East began to open in nineteenth Century that Westerners still could not grasp the essence of Chinese style.

Nevertheless, their works are still treasured in museums or art galleries as part of the history of art. They are very inspired by fashion designers.

The series of Chinese emperor's carpet

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Woven carpet (1743)

"Every country has different ways of understanding China.

Museums and films are the main media in the UK.

Gemma Williams, a fashion columnist born in Ireland.

Ironically, however, films are the source of stereotypes and distorted understanding.

John Galliano sought inspiration from Chinese objects at three or five times in his youth. "Before I really set out for China, the understanding of it basically came from Hollywood movies." in the documentary, he told Andrew Bolton: "scenes are mostly dangerous and mysterious."

John Gallinao (left) and Andrew Bolton (middle)

These two adjectives are bound to puzzle the people of China today, but as long as they see the mask of Fu Manzhou in 1932, they will understand the causes and consequences.

Fu Manzhou is the character of Sax Rohmer's novel Fu Manzhou's riddle. It's the first batch of Chinese students studying abroad. He is proficient in many languages, has a long thin appearance, shoulders shoulders, raises eyebrows, has two rows of drooping beards, and looks like devil Satan.

All the "Chinese films" that are extended under this keynote are full of strange atmosphere in plot, character setting and scene description.

Huang Liushuang, the first Chinese actor to play American movies, has interpreted the Fah lo Suee of Manchuria's daughter, who uses magic and has a pair of Medusa eyes.

It can be imagined that this is a blueprint, or the inspiration was born in the world.

Distance from reality

How far away.

Sax Rohmer's Novels

Boris Karloff plays the leading role in the 1932 mask of Fu Manzhou.

Huang Liushuang (Anna May Wong)

When time enters modern times, Chinese politicized elements, which are infinitely enlarged by media and art, become the focus of attention of Westerners.

The best known is probably the pop edition Mao Zedong, who was born through the hands of Andy Warhol.

In 1995, Vivienne Tam became the first to put the portrait of Mao Zedong.

People on the top.

This controversial series made her famous in the world and was selected by American magazine magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful figures in the world.

In 1999, John Galliano again set his sights on the red guard uniform and was born.

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In our view, it is totally impossible to represent the Chinese aesthetic symbols in the eyes of Westerners in the Chinese style, just like Guevara in Cuba.

The first Monday of May also recorded the misreading of Chinese culture in the western world.

For example, Andrew Bolton once planned to put Mao Zedong Pavilion in the Buddhist statues, "they have similar symbolic significance in China".

But this idea was prevented by Wong Kar Wai, the exhibition director of art, and eventually avoided the same scene.

As Cao Qifeng, the honorary chairman of the exhibition, when he met with Andrew Bolton, he put the question of "contemporary Chinese style" on the table. What he worried about was that the exhibition stayed in the past.

Wong Kar Wai, sitting opposite, said, "this is because the Chinese contemporary aesthetics has not yet appeared. This exhibition should help us find it".

After 1949, everyone put himself in gray or blue tunic, cadre clothes and Lenin.

After the reform and opening up in 1980, people gradually tried to create personalized expressions, trying to find contemporary Chinese aesthetics.

But obviously, this is not going to happen overnight.

In the western world, the fashion industry, which has absolute discourse power, is only a dragon actor at first.

The turning point appeared in 1980s.

Background at Paris press conference (1987)

A/W 1987 (left) and A/W 1985

With Wakubo Rei, Yamamoto Teruji,

The main Japanese avant-garde succeeded in that period.

Stage.

They not only won fame, but also overturned the traditional aesthetic cognition of Westerners.

For example, Lssey Miyake is good at designing with unstructured mode, breaking apart, rubbing and combining, forming an amazing structure.

At the same time, they deny the design of women's clothing which is mainly to please men and pursue equality and freedom and space mystery.

Japanese design has been made clear by the group of young people, and is even familiar to Westerners as an oriental aesthetic representative.

Issey Miyake

"This is also inextricably linked to the economic environment," said Tasha Liu, the manager of the beam shop. "When the most powerful China was in the past, Westerners wanted to get one or two pieces of art from here."

The rise of the Japanese garment industry also proves this view.

From October 1965 to June 1970, the Japanese economy continued to boom for 57 months.

In 1968, Japan surpassed the Federal Republic of Germany and became the world's second-largest economic power, declaring the "golden age".

Gemma Williams in recent seasons, Shanghai fashion is not on Monday.

In her view, at least 10-20 years, when the Chinese overall presents a strong aesthetic concept, Western buyers will be willing to pay.

She refers not only to the designer's integration store, but also to the various department stores in New York, Paris, London and other fashionable towns. "The current Chinese designers still belong to the niche market and can't find a representative image."

To this day,

It may not be the main course, but for foreign excellent shops, it has gradually entered their field of vision.

The designers in front are Uma Wang, Xander Zhou and Zhang Da. They will not deliberately display "Chinese elements". For example, Uma Wang only shows its eastern implication through outline and detail.

But the western fashion industry always stands high and looks down on them. They seek an exotic element in the world with a curious mentality.

Today, if we focus on the Chinese wind, we may turn to the African wind and the Cuban wind tomorrow.

Uma Wang A/W 2016

A/W 1987

One of the phenomena observed by Tasha is that Chinese designers have changed their views and practices on Chinese wind in the past few years.

"5 or 6 years ago, we saw a lot.

They will deliberately avoid the so-called Chinese elements. They may have just returned to China in 2009 and 2010.

It does not want to be defined as a Chinese designer who painted dragon painting Phoenix and made peony embroidery.

She recalled: "now Xander Zhou has been reused to Chinese culture, made a belly pocket, and cooperated with calligraphers.

It's like a declaration. "

Xander Zhou S/S 1987

She saw this belly bag in Opening Ceremony store, New York.

Hanging on a foreign shelf, what may be unnatural in China reveals its value.

"This is a way for a brand to choose what way to talk with the market." Xander hopes to attract outside to stores through these innovations, and then find that many are suitable for ordinary life.

She explained.

We are still waiting for the young Chinese who are enough to influence western designers.

Before their voice is strong enough, the dominant cultural symbols left by the ancients such as dragons, Phoenix and blue and white porcelain may also be the unique Chinese style in the eyes of Westerners.