The Auspicious Cloud of the Orient 東方祥雲

This is an eye-catching example of the luxury fashion popular in contemporary China, and also illustrates the growing interest Chinese have in their cultural heritage. Laurence Xu plays with the well-known motifs from the most traditional Chinese garment, the dragon robe, in this sumptuous evening dress. The dragon robe (known as jifu) of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) was worn during auspicious events by the emperor, his immediate family and by members of the government élite. The dragon robe was full of symbols and the most important of them, the dragon, coils around the body here in a modern take of the full-frontal motif. Another classic motif, the standing water at the hem, fittingly cascades down the long flowing train.