In her Spring/Summer 2018 collection, Vivienne Tam takes us on a visual journey into her collaboration between fashion and film, but not just any film, Tam has chosen director Raman Hui’s beloved live action/fantasy film “Monster Hunt”.
Known for her East meets West approach to design, Tam’s cinematic muse proves to be a fresh and delightful interpretation of traditional Chinese culture for a global audience. Throughout the collection, warms tones of pink sand, terra cotta and coral are intermixed with an array of cool ocean blues and spring greens. Tam's whimsical palette is echoed in her use of nature-inspired prints and handcrafted embroidery, as layered dresses of chiffon silks and fine mesh, defined by ruffles and flounce are paired with geometric dusters, oversized deconstructed denim bikers and classic trenches. Airy and relaxed, the collection also employs masculine/feminine silhouettes in oversized pegged pants, heavily belted with sashes and contrasted with loose flowing embroidered mesh tops. Images of the fabled double-headed crane and nine-tailed fox are featured along with Monster Hunt’s beloved biomorphic creature Wuba, who appears throughout the collection in custom prints that highlight his playful character. Each of the 40 looks succeed in creating a ‘cinematic’ fantasy as one can imagine their emergence from the mystical mountain and river landscapes depicted in the film.
The show, which took place at Skylight Clarkson Square, ended with fashion a-listers cheering as Tam walked hand-in-hand with a life-sized Wuba, clad in a custom-made design by Tam herself. Needless to say, Tam’s Spring/Summer 2018 collection speaks to the child in all of us, who still appreciates a touch of imagination and play intertwined with fashion chic.
