Lost in translation? "Interpreting Ancient Chinese Fashion"

[gurdymonkey]

I stumbled upon this program on one of the local PBS affiliates this evening, about 15 minutes into the broadcast. Colleen Quen and Jude Gabbard, two young Bay Area fashion designers, visited rural Guizhou Province, learning about embroidery, batik resist dyeying, silversmithing and other elements of the traditional dress of the native Buyi and Miao villagers.

Photo from the San Francisco Chronicle at http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2008/03/02/lv_stylematters.jpg

Check out this link from the production company, D3 for additional photos and information. http://www.d3mediagroup.com/programs/fashion.htm

And then they came home and did this: http://www.ibabuzz.com/fashion/2008/03/09/ancient-chinese-fashion-with-a-modern-twist/

Is it good? Is it bad? Is it inspired? Love it or hate it (and I do like some of these even as others make me scratch my head and wonder what planet they came from), you have to admit it illustrates how different people will look at the same thing and get completely different ideas from it.

I can see I'm going to have to do something about the Yuan robe "dress" concept at some point. (Red silk, maybe?)

Spring 2009 airtimes of this documentary can be found here: 
http://www.d3mediagroup.com/programs/airing_schedules/iacfschedule.htm

Comments

[karisu-sama.livejournal.com]

Nope, I totally don't see how "A" (Actual ancient Chinese fashion) leads to "B" (the designer stuff). They simply took the ideas of "some prints iinspired by Han tomb art" and "lets use some large plaques", and stuck them onto whatever the hell designers usually do, combined with stereotyped "Chinese architectural shapes".

FAIL.

Gee, and I was trying to be all open minded and shit.

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

They definitely took the "scenic route," didn't they?

"They have beaten silver plaques on their stuff, I shall use sequin roundels on this miniskirt!"

Frankly, if I'd had the opportunity to practice batik techniques in a Chinese village, I'd be batiking my own garment fabric for my designs.

[sarcasm-hime.livejournal.com]

I friggin' love Miao stuff. I have a few hair ornaments but always salivate over the old pleated skirts and silver headdresses I see for sale on ebay from time to time. *sigh*

[helblonde.livejournal.com]

Huh. The "modern take" just looks like dresses for a chinese debutante ball to me. I must not be haute couture enough to get it :p

The dresses in your posted pic are fantastic. They must weigh a ton.

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

It's all wafer thin beaten silver, but I imagine it adds up, particularly on the headdresses.