“Can’t you see the water of the Yellow River
Coming from the sky
With waves rolling going straight to the sea
And never flowing back again…”
This collection reimagines these cultural themes to weave grand tapestries of gilded eras amidst threads of silk into contemporary apparel, each design infused with the distinctive elegance of the East. The result is a classic wardrobe rich in luster and vibrant colours inspired from various Tang Dynasty artifacts, paintings and poetry.
“…Don’t let the golden wine cup
Stay empty to the bright moon
The talent that heaven has crafted for me
Is bound to be useful”
The signature pattern design of the Autumn-Winter 2024 Collection is “The Winding Stream Party” (“曲水游筵”, Qu Shui You Yan) which illustrates an enchanting landscape: pine branches are adorned with lanterns and decorated wine vessels rest in the shade of ancient trees. The distinctive shapes of calabash gourds (Hu Lu) signifying health, wealth and happiness line terraced platforms where scholars mingle and wine flows whilst clouds, distant mountains, flower blossoms, long-tailed birds and graceful deer intricately interlace dimensions of perspective.
“… Bells, drums, delicacies, jade – they are not fine enough …
…and the thousand taels of gold
Spent away can still
Be earned back.
Bring in the wine! –
The cups must not stop!
I’ll sing you a song – …
Ten thousand cups of wine – abandon restraint and be merry!
…Bringing in the Wine (Li Bai)”
This season’s womenswear collection indulges in employing sophisticated craftsmanship techniques such as sequin embroidery, gold couching embroidery, hollow embroidery, devoré, hot stamping, and lace appliqué. The generous floral landscape and auspicious animal motifs of “The Winding Stream Party” on select pieces summon a vibrant vitality, transcending time and space.
Above all the 2024 Autumn-Winter season thematically invokes maintaining grace and exuberance amidst life’s complexities, imbuing SHANGHAI TANG qipaos, dresses, and knitted apparel with a dreamlike depth and romantic allure. Guided by poetic values, the looks of this collection encourage a keen eye for recognizing beautiful moments and exploring free-spirited and abundant approaches to fashion and life.
The menswear collection begins with the integrity of tailored structural designs and meticulously executes these garments with skilled applications of velvet, special shimmering fabrics, and quilted cotton to seamlessly integrate fabric shapes with the body’s movement. Iconic SHANGHAI TANG looks such as the Tang Cashmere Jacket and Tang Mandarin Collar Shirt embrace the opulent imagery of this season, further harmonizing traditional Chinese elegance with modern menswear aesthetics.
As always, SHANGHAI TANG employs colour to accentuate its designs. Inspired by the mineral glazes of the Tang Dynasty pottery “Tang Sancai” (“唐三彩”), the collection palette features deep ink green, serene blues and layered browns. These colours blend with touches of golden embroidery and delicate beadwork to stitch an ode to the charming opulence of this timeless place and spirit.
The SHANGHAI TANG 2024 Autumn-Winter Collection campaign is produced by director Quentin Shih who is renowned for his cinematic neorealism. Portraying complex characters navigating between fantasy and reality, the imagery captured by Shih mirrors the psychological depth of fashion, enhancing each scene with vibrant aesthetics that introspectively probe the colourful appearance on fabrics.
The creative campaign for SHANGHAI TANG 2024 Autumn-Winter resonates with a sentiment akin to “carpe diem” (“得意尽欢”, Dé yì jìn huān), where vitality sings in the fibers and soul of every garment.
