Do you know her? Yes she is Maggie Cheung, the Chinese actress from Hong Kong plus the international superstar and fashion icon. If you have watched her bravura performances from In the Mood for Love as a married woman caught in an ambiguous relationship in Shanghai in the 1920s, or from the French movie Clean as a drug addicted mom, you will not be surprised that Cheung has gained respect from most reputable directors like Wong Kar-Wai and Olivier Assayas, and is always considered an ever favorite stylish girl for years.
Rodarte’s distinctively talented Mulleavy sisters—Kate and Laura who made their first visit to Hong Kong last week to showcase an exclusive four-piece collection designed in homage to Maggie Cheung at Joyce Boutique. The one-off pieces themselves were auctioned off to benefit UNICEF. The sisters have a powerful knack at making visual entities to compliment their collections, and this time there’s no exception that they created a stunning short film with the Hong Kong-based photographer Wing Shya to spotlight the collection, inspired by four great performances from Cheung’s films: In the Mood for Love, Hero, Clean, and The Heroic Trio, so we’re all lucky to be able to enjoy the pieces without owning them.
[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag4ac5QqbmQ’]
Rodarte’s creativity and inspirational fashion concept plus Maggie Cheung’s unique style basically form a brilliant collaboration of two artistic powerhouses from the East and the West. It’s noteworthy ow Wing Shya the director presented the film in black and white with beautiful piano background music, which effectively created artistic and melancholic aura which easily reminded of dat nostalgic feeling conveyed by the film In the Mood for Love. I particularly like the yellow flowy fringe dress reminiscent of Cheung’s heroic image in Hero.
As WWD reported Rodarte’s view ’bout Hong Kong and their people’s sense of fashion: “It’s our first time here and I’m in complete awe of Hong Kong,” said Laura Mulleavy. “There’s something so futuristic about the city. You’d be forgiven for thinking that Blade Runner was shot here. And the women are so open to fashion.”
Would any promising talents follow Rodarte’s step to dedicate their special designs to another Chinese inspiring public figure? I suggest Elie Saab crossover Zhou Xun. Watch Zhou’s performance from Perhaps Love, which won her the Best Actress Award in the 25th Hong Kong Film Awards and you will know why.
Elie Saab Fall/Winter 2010 collection at Paris Fashion Week
Zhou Xun the Chinese actress in Perhaps Love
