The world-renowned Chinese fashion designer Laurence Xu, in collaboration with Sheme, presented “the 2017 Laurence Xu Haute Couture Show” at the Intercontinental Hotel Paris Le Grand during Paris Couture Week Fall/Winter 2017. Inspired by works by two great Chinese painters Li Keran and Zhang Daqian, the collection themed on a picturesque Chinese landscape and flaunted Chinese couture skills with wax printing and Miao embroidery in Guizhou and Shu embroidery alongside other intangible cultural heritage from China.
This collection demonstrated a natural landscape aesthetic featured by magnificent mountains, alive water, and beautiful flowers and birds. In addition, elements such as the spring magnolia，early summer lotus, autumn maple leaves and winter plum blossoms were also delicately designed to display beauties of the four seasons. 38 pieces of high fashion works have presented China’s unique artistic concepts such as “landscape”, “flower and bird” and “love pea” as well as the pristine culture of ethnic minorities. Sheme, with dedicated pursuit of cultural inheritance and passion for the spread of fashion, re-took the Silk Road to incorporate exotic elements along the route into its design. Interpreted by the language of fashion design, customs and natural landscape along the route left a permanent mark in the works of Sheme, from which emerged the unique Sheme-style “walking art”.
Together, Laurence Xu and Sheme returned to the Paris catwalk with the collection themed on a picturesque Chinese landscape in the countryside. As it left behind the hustle and bustle of modern life, this season's collection played out showing the true beauty of nature and simplicity. The show definitely astounded the crowds with its “Chinese style haute couture” as it unveiled naturally the wish to live a reclusive life that has always been aspired by Chinese classic culture.