The 69-year-old also credits Crazy Rich Asians for making Chinese fashion mainstream
Somewhere in the mountainous region of Taiwan, a young woman is getting married, and she would be presented with a jade bangle by her mother to mark the life-changing union. The jewellery which is also a spiritual object in Taiwanese culture is a token that serves as a reminder of home, which will then be placed in a red envelope and kept in the bride’s new home.
Drawing inspiration from this longstanding tradition, Wang Chen Tsai-Hsia, also known as Madame Wang, decided to utilise the beautiful jewellery by cutting it and then using the crystal stone as a handle for her handcrafted bags.
Since each stone is cut and shaped by hand and the bag is meticulously embroidered, each Shiatzy Chen bag is unique and considered a collectible. “When I started Shiatzy Chen in the late ’70s, there were so many concepts of fashion which I could adopt from, but instead of incorporating only Western styles, I built my brand using my own culture,” said the 69-year-old, who was born in Changhua, Taiwan.
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She added: “Every piece of the collection represents a story borrowed from different eras and dynasties.” It’s in the input of such details as jade and mandarin collar in her extravagant dresses and ready-to-wear range that distinguishes it as a Shiatzy Chen piece. Some accents that differentiate the label from common Chinese elements are the inclusion of floral French lace, diamond belts and intricate Western cutting.
“The traditional Chinese cutting in our cheongsam or qipao is straightforward and flat, hence the choice of opting for the Western version, which can be more three-dimensional and silhouetted— like a second layer of skin,” Wang elaborated.