The temporary venues in Xintiandi, which are the central sites for Shanghai Fashion Week, evoke memories of the iconic NYFW tents at Bryant Park. The setup, complete with security gates, sponsor booths (special thanks to Lays for the chips), and curious onlookers, functions efficiently but lacks the magic of a dreamlike setting.
Jacques Wei deserves recognition for transforming his space from rustic to opulent in a mere two hours. His models emerged from backstage flanked by two painted bronze black panther sculptures, part of his personal collection. They proceeded through the newly carpeted area towards an orchestra on a stage, which played minimally. Wei later shared that his collection was inspired by his enduring icon Cher and Ye’s proposal to Kim Kardashian in 2013.
Wei’s style is campy, fabulous, and unconventionally maximalist. Describing his approach to complex allure, he remarked, “I like weird proportions. It’s really easy to make beautiful proportions, to make the legs long. But I feel nowadays I’m more into playing with turning something weird into something interesting. It’s never weird to see something beautiful, but I think it’s interesting to see something weird.”
Wei’s statement came in response to a question about his pastel silk-satin draped skirts, which were super-wide and low-slung, showcasing a prevalent trend toward drop-waist styles seen on multiple runways.
Other intriguing pieces included his shearling leopard-patterned skirts, a spaghetti-strapped dress with a longer front and gleaming beading, teamed with black hosiery and metallic sandals, and feather-fringed miniskirts in vibrant colors with sheer lacy tulle extending to the knee. Animal motifs were prominent, featuring zebra boots, python pants, and richly textured and colored muffish cuffs.
Wei crafted a luxurious and distinct landscape, incorporating full-shouldered suits with square, jewel-like buttons, sometimes worn by men, alongside draped, ruffled, and form-fitting silky dresses, roomy pants, and backless blouses. He incorporated low-slung chains behind the elaborately styled hair of many models. Wei’s exploration of luxury eccentricity resulted in a character that was both richly self-assured and captivatingly unconventional.
