Immerse yourself in the exquisite world of haute couture and the creative genius of Guo Pei in this lecture series. Embark on a captivating journey through the world of fashion with four experts as they discuss the intersection of fashion, art and culture, discovering valuable insights into haute couture and the cultural narratives that have shaped Guo Pei’s artistic vision and unique creations.
Tickets are sold to each lecture individually so pick your favourite or come to all.
Lecture #5: West Meets East: The influence of China on European Elite Fashion
Angela Lassig, Sat 4 May 10.30–11.30am
The long history of Western interaction with China culminated in the 18th century with the Chinese-inflected European style known as Chinoiserie. This style informed all manner of decorative arts, fashion, and even architecture, and created a demand for both authentic Chinese goods and antiquities and European wares adopting Chinese motifs and mimicking Chinese forms. In the 19th century, this trend expanded into a more generalized “Orientalism” with the addition of Japanese and other Eastern influences. This talk will look at how these trends were expressed in European fashion, using examples from Worth, Poiret, Dior and other iconic designers, and explore how Guo Pei and other contemporary designers fit into that tradition.
Image credits: Guo Pei, One Thousand and Two Nights Collection, 2019. © Guo Pei. Photograph by LIAN Xu, courtesy of LIAN Xu. | Angela Lassig, photo Andrew Langridge, 2022. | Angela Lassig, photo Andrew Langridge, 2022.
