Queen of Chinese Couture Guo Pei, the fashion designer behind Rihanna’s  iconic Met Gala look in 2015, gave a quick virtual presentation of her Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2020-2021 at the recently held first session of Digital Fashion Week Conversations by Singapore-based Digital Fashion Week.

Dubbed as Savannah, the collection showcases rich visuals of wild animals such as giraffe, elephant and zebra in greenlands. In an exclusive email interview with us here at Stylish Magazine via Style Visionary Network, the fashion designer further talked about her latest creations:

Style Visionary Network: Can you share with us more about Guo Pei’s 2020/21 autumn and winter high-definition series “Savannah”?

Guo Pei: “The inspiration for the series comes from the magnificent landscape of life on the African savannah. The pandemic has changed many people and things, and has also given us a new understanding of the value of life and the meaning of existence. When we were chained at home, we discovered that we were so longing for the endless green of Savannah, and when death came time and time again, we discovered that the animal’s rushing posture was so pleasant. The beauty of life inspires our courage to face disasters; the awe of nature allows us to live with it in a more humble attitude. The maintenance of life and nature is thinking about the future of mankind.”

“I was inspired by the endless greens of the African savannah. There might be a lot of sad news of death today, but I’ve discovered that whenever I look at videos of animals galloping, running and racing vibrantly in their natural environment, it has brought joy to me. The beautiful wild animals in the African savannah represent the courage that we should all have to face disasters.”

Style Visionary Network: What color palettes did you use for the collection?

Guo Pei: “The brand new series uses the two colors of the veins of life: the color red of the arteries and the color blue of the veins.  My aim is to express the vitality and rhythm of life. The neutral colors such as elephant gray and white represent the modern city and the future full of unknowns, conveying the interaction between fashion and nature, and some thinking about the future of fashion.”

Style Visionary Network: What fabrics did you use for this series?

Guo Pei: “Piñatex fabrics were used extensively in this collection. Piñatex fabrics are inspired by abundant natural resources and traditional weaving techniques, made by extracting plant fibers from pineapple leaves. It is a substitute for natural leather and an exploration of sustainable fashion. I was moved to find materials that are eco-friendly. I’d researched online and found a wide range of eco-friendly fabrics, I even saw some textiles made of mushrooms. There are so many people who are interested in pioneering sustainable fashion and I think that’s really inspiring.”

During the quarantine period, how did you enrich your creative thinking? As a designer, how do you keep getting inspired and creative?

Guo Pei: “During the quarantine period, I’ve been working on the creation of the 2020 autumn and winter high-definition series that we just released. In January just after my last big show, there was a relatively severe moment in the global pandemic. I happened to be in Paris and stayed until the end of April. This period was actually a very good creative period for me. I spent a pleasant time with my family. We also contacted and communicated with many professionals in the industry, thinking about a future development direction.

I am more like art, and I feel I should be closer to artistic expression. Designers should express some deep perceptions of the world through their works, and be sensitive to art, not just staying in the state of reality. I can’t just consider the layout, technology and material. It is more about expressing your deep thoughts through your creative design. I discussed many different topics during Paris Couture Week, and I hope that each of these different topics will give people some thought. As designers, we have a very rich life experience and clear values. We have a perspective on the world. I will use my works to express my perspective on the world. So I will always have a steady stream of inspiration, because I use it to express my knowledge of the world.”

“My creations for this collection are meant to be majestic so people will literally stop and look at these, and be inspired by life. Haute couture is not just a piece of clothing that can be worn on the body,  it is a living art. It can also represent your spiritual world, can even accompany you in your life, and bring you beauty beyond reality.”

You may view Guo Pei’s session at the Digital Fashion Week Conversations here.

In the coming weeks, Digital Fashion Week Conversations will also launch some sessions in partnership with Style Visionary Network and Stylista TV.  The segments will be hosted by Stylista TV host Katarina Rodriguez. Stay tuned for more info.

To learn more of the entire calendar of the upcoming virtual sessions of Digital Fashion Week Conversations, log on and register at www.digitalfashionweek.com.

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