In 2015, pop singer Rihanna unexpectedly, and dramatically, wore a grand Chinese style gold gown to attend the Met Gala. This amazing gown – made by Chinese couturier Guo Pei – was also a major turning point in the Chinese designer’s career. In the following year she was invited to be a member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, the chief governing body of the high fashion industry, enabling her to show on the Paris Haute Couture Week calendar.
Guo Pei launched her own label in 1997. Excelling at using the finest of traditional Chinese craftsmanship while incorporating contemporary innovation and Western style, she is always about glamour and craftsmanship. On the runway show of Guo Pei Spring/Summer 2018 Couture collection in Paris this talented woman once again amazed audiences with her glittery, luxurious designs.
Fairytales, legends and even military history are inevitably the source of inspiration for Guo, and in this collection she transports audiences to the Elysium, an island of joy and life where white winding tree roots float in the sky expressing the true meaning of life.
The designer uses blue, white and her favourite gold to draw a picture of the sun and the morning mist. Flowers, too, are a recurring element of this collection. Using luxurious fabrics combined with gorgeous embroidery, hand-decorated with dazzling natural gemstones and crystals, the designer perfectly showcases a dreamlike wonderland.
To enhance the theme of ‘Life,’ Guo employs many natural materials, with the highlight of the collection a woven piece with bamboo from Huangshan, China made by craftsmen with more than 30 years’ experience. This uniquely shaped skirt is decorated with golden flowers perfectly elevating Guo’s pursuit of handicraft excellence to the sublime.