Versace, Alexander McQueen: 5 striking looks from Hong Kong fashion exhibition at K11 Musea that connects European technique to Chinese craftsmanship
- ‘Savoir Faire: The Mastery of Craft in Fashion’ spans 30 years of remarkable fashion creations displayed with rare Chinese artefacts
- A silent auction featuring rare couture pieces will raise funds for Unesco and the K11 Craft & Guild Foundation
K11 Musea’s “Savoir Faire: The Mastery of Craft in Fashion” exhibition features a series of fashion designs from houses such as Chanel, Dior, Valentino and Versace displayed with rare Chinese artefacts from the K11 Craft & Guild Foundation.
Divided into five sections – Modern Reinvention, Atelier Tailleur, Extreme Craft, Bridal Couture, and Tales from the Runway – and spanning 30 years of remarkable fashion creations, the show celebrates European savoir faire and connects it to Chinese craftsmanship.
Among the Chinese works on display are a lacquer box decorated with plum blossom patterns and a lacquer two-door wardrobe featuring relief works of children at play. The latter is part of the Bridal Couture display and is a reference to the bridal trousseau common in Western cultures.
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A silent auction featuring rare couture pieces is also part of the project. Proceeds from the auction, which includes items from Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Chloé, Saint Laurent and Schiaparelli – all on display in the show – will be donated to Unesco and the K11 Craft & Guild Foundation.
Here are five stunning looks that caught our attention and are worth checking out:
The late British designer Alexander McQueen often incorporated elements of his Scottish heritage – even the darker ones, such as in his controversial Highland Rape show from 1995 – in his always-memorable collections. This look from his autumn/winter 2009 show features a houndstooth pattern, which originated in Scotland and takes its name from the uneven shape of hound dogs’ teeth.
This metallic chain-mail dress with Byzantine crosses was part of the late Gianni Versace’s final fashion show, which took place at the Ritz Hotel in Paris in July 1997, only nine days before his murder in Miami. The look, which was worn on the runway by supermodel Naomi Campbell, was a modern take on the bridal outfit that traditionally closes haute couture shows.
Dutch designer Iris van Herpen makes one-of-a-kind pieces that deftly meld technology and traditional craftsmanship. This dress that moulds to the body and completely transforms a woman’s silhouette is part of Hybrid Holism, the designer’s autumn/winter 2012 collection. It was partly inspired by an installation of artist Philip Beesley at the 2010 Venice Biennale.
Also Dutch, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, the duo behind Viktor & Rolf, are known for their irreverent approach to fashion, which often involves runway shenanigans. This dress was part of the brand’s spring/summer 2019 couture collection, Fashion Statements, which as the name suggests featured extravagant gowns printed with tongue-in-cheek slogans such as “No Photos Please”, “I Am My Own Muse” and “Less is More”.
Leave it to Valentino’s creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli to always create a fashion moment to remember. The designer’s couture creations never fail to impress – and sometimes bring to tears – his loyal admirers. Part of the brand’s spring/summer 2018 couture collection, this dress is paired with a stunning feather headpiece designed by milliner Philip Treacy.
Savoir Faire: The Mastery of Craft in Fashion is at K11 Art & Cultural Centre, 6F, K11 MUSEA until February 14, 2022.
