Inspirations: The Influence of Chinese Culture on the Fashion Industry
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
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| Photographed by Chen Man |
"Love it or hate it, what we wear is a huge part of how we communicate with the world. And the messages clothes send are bigger than just the 'hipness' of the latest fashion. Garments and accessories have always been a key part of how humans show respect for one another, how sexuality and gender are established, and how values and traditions are honored. Not least of all, clothes are central to personal aesthetics and individuality." - a Brooklyn housewife, in Clotheslines, by Roberta Cantwell, 1981
I love research and fashion. There are so many reasons
behind why things in fashion are the way they are and how they got there and
it’s so interesting to peel back these layers of the industry’s history.
Lately, this past week especially, the Far East has played a major role in the
fashion industry. The week started with two major fashion events first the
Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala whose theme this year was
China Through the Looking Glass, an introspective on how Chinese culture has
permeated American fashion. Then Karl Lagerfeld showed his Chanel Resort 2016
collection in Seoul, South Korea, using many unique Korean motifs to marry
Parisian and Korean fashion in one collection. The fashion industry has a long
history with the Far East, China especially, from manufacturing to retail to
showmanship and today’s post journeys through the origins this relationship.
