Pacino Wan gave a lecture titled 'The fashion Battlefield in China' he discussed the vast competition through the quick pace and continual growth and change in Chinese fashion. Both in the high street market were his career began and the need for individual unique fashion, the direction he is now heading.
China has one of the fastest and largest fashion markets in the world situated in Hong Kong is home to the largest production company in the world. Chinese people therefore are used to fast affordable yet fashionable clothing continually, there is a very high turn over within the clothing industry making working in fashion here a challenge.
Pacino Wan discussed how Chinese people look to european fashion and want to imitate the european trends because of this Pacino found growing up as an aspiring young designer very hard. There is no support for young Chinese designers wanting to design a traditional Chinese brand as everyone wants to follow what European fashion was doing rather than wearing clothes inspired by there own traditions and culture.
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| 'Pacino Wang 2002' |
Wan turned this all around he found his own company in 1992 called 'She & He' LTD as inspiration he looked to the streets of China being inspired by women street fashion. He began in a small shop in the centre of the busy fashion area this he found hard but as he began to become more and more recognised by the local fashionistas his label has now taken off.
Wan has 38 stores world wide both his own and individual stores whom hold his garments in both China, London, Canada and Australia. Wan discussed how having stores world wide is a big thing for him not only for his success but designing for the Chinese body type is very different to that of the western average body type. This he is continually developing creating fashion that suites everyone but staying to his Chinese routes and inspirations. This was shown through video clips we were shown off his fashion shows through out the years and the development of the clothing.
Victor Tong from the Hong Kong design institute spoke about 'Chinese opera mask and Chinese tradition' he explored traditional colour and shapes used in Chinese opera traditionally called Beijing opera explaining how each element of the painted on face mask showed the audience what sort of character was being portrayed within the story. His wide knowledge has aided him to explore Chinese opera characters in depth and understand the significance of the semiotics within the designs.
Victor Tong began by explaining the four main characters within all Chinese opera male, female, painted face and the comedian although originally there were no females aloud in traditional Chinese opera. Semiotics, colour and shape therefore are very important it helps the audience differentiate between the characters with ease.
He began by discussing shape and semiotics within eyebrow and eye type as this is an initial importance of the mask, the eye area is one of the first things the audience will look too.
A few example such as a very straight brow pointed at the bottom and wider at the top is used for warriors, a wide eye shape is used in most theatrical masks. kidney eye shape is used for monks, for old people a spot shape for the brow and a long curved under eye pattern symbolising the loosening of skin and a fish tail eye shape, round at the core is used to show a herowin or someone who is courageous.
Although at a first glance the designs look very complicated when Victor was explained in depth each shape or semiotic is very intuitive for example the sharp shape used looks harsh and definite something a warrior should be and the spot for an eye brow suggests hair loss another realistic element used to convay an older character.
Colour was another very important point of interest for Victor to show when explaining characters:
Red- loyalty and valour, Pink- elderly age, Black- moral decency, White- crafty crook often used to show higher officials in the army, Yellow- cruel, Green- Violent, Blue- bravery and stubbornness and Gold- for spirits. Although the mask holds a lot of vibrant colour there is always one that is more predominate through witch the audience will be able to understand the character.
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| Taiji |
Confucius influence are also involved in Chinese opera meaning the governments morality correctness of social relationships in both justice and sincerity within ones self. This element is spread through generations after generations. Books of these believes were distributed through story telling through Chinese opera so even the children that didn't go to school could be educated.
Symbols are used within the masks such as Taiji symbol a Chinese cosmological term for the 'supreme ultimate' a state of undifferentiated absolute and infinite potentiality. This sign is often shown on the mask of Beijing. Others such as this from the seal script used in many traditional Chinese decrative art and paper cutting this symbol means longevity- long life.
Victor showed us a clip of 'Farewell my Concubine' 1993 a Chinese opera. Xiang Yu a character was shown with the longevity symbol although the symbols look very decretive they allow along with the colour and shape to explain who the character is before they have even began the performance.
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| 'Farewell my Concubine' 1993 |
Many contemporary influences within fashion, sport and film have been taken from traditional Chinese opera masks, such as SS07 Just Cavalli collection and the 2008 Puma campaign.
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| Puma 2008 |
This lecture allowed you to just vocus on colour and the semiotics of the details within the designs looking at the masks in this way creates a wide knowledge before you even as an audience watch the opera this is something that can be explored within all areas of makeup design how exploring meanings or shapes, symbols and colour can change the meaning of the design overall.
I found both speakers very interesting and there passion and inspiration towards there own Chinese culture i found inspiring.
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