Shiatzy Chen looked to the four key stationery staples in Chinese culture — writing brush, ink stick, ink slab, paper — and traditional Chinese calligraphy for inspiration for fall 2024.
An enduring and clever juxtaposition of Western silhouettes and Eastern details, Chen proposed an elegant and upbeat wardrobe for globetrotters who live between cultures and who love to dress accordingly to showcase their multicultural appreciation.
Standouts included a sparkly tweed dress with a qipao collar, a Mao suit-inspired long coat with brush stroke-like embroidery at the front, a white pop-over made with interlocked ribbons, a sherbet yellow lace-clad slipdress, tailored pieces with noir fil coupé jacquard, and outerwear numbers embroidered with exquisite cherry blossoms and jade ink orchid motifs.
As China increasingly looks to encourage the next generation to embrace traditional culture, there is an opportunity for Chen to build a strong resonance with today’s consumers, and to ride on the “New Chinese Style” trend.
The appointment of Chinese singer Liu Yu, whose presence at the show generated considerable buzz online on Xiaohongshu, might just be the beginning of greater buzz for the 46-year-old brand.
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