Filed under: Uncategorized
Helen Lee's, "MASH" in Front of Shanghai's Low Rise Skyline.
Helen Lee, born in the end of the Cultural Revolution of the mid-Seventies, Helen first saw a China very different from today – one that had largely closed itself to economic, political and cultural exchange with the rest of the World. She imagines a present day China that keeps a connection with the outside context through the 60’s and 70’s and developed Chinese view of Global fashion trends.
The collection” Mash” makes reference to the combination of different subjects that would not typically be seen as candidates for combination. The name is derived from the musical genre known as “Mash-Up” where a musician/DJ will take two or more songs or styles of music and fuse them. In this way the artist presents these past culture relics in a wholly new and contemporary way.
For this Spring /Summer collection, we see Helen focusing on cultural and trend differences between China and the rest of the World during the Cultural Revolution. She selects the best elements from a closed China and an open west and presents something that is new yet somehow familiar.
Unlike others who have looked back to China’s fashion during the Cultural Revolution, Helen aims to do more than just update the traditional uniform (zhongshan zhuang or 中山装) of the Cultural Revolution. She looks to use this as a form on which to apply Global 60’s, 70’s and even 80’s design elements.
The most popular colors from Cultural Revolution period – navy blue and grey – are used to unify the design of the collection but the addition of colors “from abroad” – purple, red, silver and bright blue – brings a full-bodied yet mysterious feeling. Premium fabrics such as satin and silk knit jersey create a soft, flowing feminine and quality feeling and counter the formality and stiffness of Chinese fashion from this period.
Together, these are crafted into modern garments that showcase and flatter their wearer but retain a subtle link to the classic uniform style. Pants are eschewed in favor of fitted dresses and skirts. Detailing such as beading and layered cutouts are added to tops, sexy polo-style shirts and high waist shorts appear in the collection. Accessories are based on the shape of 1970’s vintage shopping bags but rendered in glistening PVcand netted fabric to make them post-modern
Juxtapozed Style with Smog
Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment
