Italian brand puts traditional artisans on fashion frontline

"Therefore, it was crucial for us to engage in a dialogue with Master Qian to create something that not only honored the traditional craft from ages past but also projected it into the future," said Rougeaux.

In addition to Valextra, this collaboration also marks a breakthrough for Qian. While he has been proficient in bamboo weaving for many years, this is the first time he has integrated it with leather goods.

“When I first collaborated with the Valextra team, they showed me their most iconic Iside bag, inspired by Italian architecture, coincidentally, I have also used bamboo weaving to recreate the architecture of my hometown, Wuzhen in Zhejiang province. Thus, the design of this collaboration collection started with architecture as the focal point, finding a connection between China and Italy through windows,” Qian said.

Qian further explained: “In Wuzhen, the windows of the water town reflect sunlight onto the walls, creating a picturesque scene of light; similarly, the stained glass windows and marble spires of the Milan Cathedral offer a feast of colors. Therefore, using bamboo weaving, I intertwined these two images, showcasing two different windows with distinct colors and geometric patterns that are intertwined yet distinct, reflecting and complementing each other.”

Over the years, Qian has been trying to expand the boundaries of bamboo weaving, whether through flatwork, sculptures, or even home decor pieces, but bamboo woven bags is something he really wanted to do.

“I feel proud to see Chinese craftsmanship stepping onto the world stage. Previously, the other commercial brand projects I collaborated on were released domestically in China. However, this time, not only were they launched in Shanghai and Hong Kong, but they were also simultaneously released internationally in Milan and Kyoto, allowing Chinese bamboo weaving to collide with international fashion,” he added.