Combine some 21st-century neo-Chinese chic with early 20th-century Gabrielle Chanel, then overlay the influence of eclectic adventurers and travellers across the ancient Silk Road, and the structure for Shiatzy Chen's autumn/winter 2018 collection takes glamorous form.
In a modern homage to the romantic spirit of this era, Wang Chen Tsai-Hsia, the brand's founder and head designer, evokes the rich colours of Dunhuang and its majestic caves in the Chinese province of Gansu.
A commercial trading centre between East and West containing 1,000-year-old examples of Buddhist art, this provenance suffuses the collection with a rich narrative of peony pink, pastel green, gingko yellow, indigo, beige, orange, bronze and ink black.
The design palette embellishes intricate lines and abstract geometric patterns across short coats, bouffant skirts, sports jackets and Chinese-style robes, which evoke the heavenly beasts and flying goddesses adorning the walls of Dunhuang. Among the flamboyant fabrics are jacquard prints, colour-blocked wools, lace, organza and satin.
The necessity for balance on the accessories side sees embroidered leather bucket bags with jade clasps and jade bracelet handles for the arms, and flats with straps and sneakers in black and white for the feet. Legendary and grounded, this contemporary silhouette's one for the silky urban goddesses.
