How Chinese culture has influenced Western fashion designers from Gucci to Louis Vuitton
Fashion designers eternally search for inspiration, and many have rifled through China’s cultural history for their collections
Luxury fashion houses have long had a fascination with China, and for decades have woven Chinese looks and symbols into their collections.
But while Western designers taking inspiration from traditional Asian clothing or motifs might have been acceptable in the past, in today’s social media-shaped world it can be seen as cultural appropriation.
It is a tricky line to walk, one that Dior stumbled on with its autumn 2022 collection when it was accused of cultural appropriation by Chinese social media users. They claimed that a US$3,800 pleated wool and mohair skirt resembled a traditional Chinese horse-face skirt popular in the Song (960 to 1279) and Ming (1368 to 1644) dynasties.
Comprising more than 140 costumes and accessories – the show juxtaposed masterpieces of Chinese art and rare artefacts with works by Western designers.
Here we look at five luxury fashion houses influenced by Chinese culture.