Designer Guo Pei gears up for new exhibition and book, a secondary label and project with Apple
In advance of this fall’s exhibition of her work at the Savannah College of Art and Design, Guo Pei has been busy shooting some of her creations for the companion book, working on a secondary label and crafting a special project with Apple.
SCAD president Paula Wallace has written the foreword for “Guo Pei,” which Rizzoli will publish in mid-October. About a year ago SCAD contacted Guo Pei about doing an exhibition dedicated to her work, attended one of her shows in Paris and later invited her to visit the school’s Savannah and Atlanta campuses, the designer’s husband Jack Tsao said. This fall’s Atlanta show will be her first in the U.S.
The designer and her team will be involved with the installation of the mannequins with Guo Pei dresses and the show, which her husband said will be quite substantial. The couple will also be on hand for the September 7 opening ceremony of the exhibition at the SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film.
The designer is still looking for a location for a store in New York though her husband described it as “difficult.” The company is also scouting for a partner for the U.S. market. “The designer is also working on a secondary line that is meant to give more people a better understanding of her designs. It will also be more affordable,” he said.
Always open to potential collaborations with partners who share a similar creative vision, the designer “wants to build a cultural bridge and create a common language with the U.S., as well as in other countries around the world through her couture creations,” Tsao said. Two grand opening events have been scheduled for this year, but he declined to elaborate due to confidentiality issues.
In addition, Guo Pei’s luxury ready-to-wear collection is still under development. “Expect to see beautiful, wearable pieces for the modern woman which maintain the spirit of couture and distinct Guo Pei touches. The plan is to sell the collection in select high-end retailers in the U.S., Europe and Asia,” he said.
Furthering her experience designing costumes, Guo Pei is working on costumes for three Chinese TV series and two feature films. He added, “in recent years, Guo Pei has been focusing her attention on the Chinese wedding culture and reviving the art of the traditional wedding gown. In recent years, we have seen the younger generation, especially the elite, pay more and more attention to traditional weddings. From 2015 onward, some of China’s top celebrities have begun to choose Chinese traditional gowns for their weddings. We are also seeing a wave of a return to tradition.”
The designer also remains in contact with Apple ceo Tim Cook, who visited her studio in Beijing last summer. Guo Pei is working on developing an iWatch and a marketing partnership, according to her husband.
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