Loyal followers of fashion and couture will undoubtedly have their minds blown by the dazzling court costumes of ancient China's Imperial Palace hundreds of years ago.
Traveling from the Forbidden City in Beijing, over 100 rare pieces are arriving at an exhibition at the World Expo Museum in Shanghai from July 7 to Oct 7, with 90 percent on display for the first time outside Beijing and 30 percent making their public debut.
Silk textiles are among the most difficult cultural relics to preserve, rivaling paintings and calligraphy, as they are extremely fragile, protein-based fiber artifacts. Thus, these stunning pieces spanning hundreds of years rarely have the opportunity to be displayed to the public, particularly outside the nation's capital.
Themed Imperial Colors: Qing Dynasty Court Costumes from the Palace Museum, the exhibition brings together robes and jackets worn by emperors Kangxi, Qianlong, Jiaqing, and Tongzhi of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), garments and accessories from numerous concubines, as well as robes, fabrics and accessories belonging to six empress dowagers and empresses. Each piece epitomizes the pinnacle of ancient Chinese aesthetics.
The Palace Museum, co-organizer of the exhibition, houses over 170,000 pieces of woven and embroidered clothing artifacts from its historical collection. These items, representing the highest textile standards of that era, were custom-made for the imperial family.
Their designs were finalized by the emperor, and weavers were commissioned by imperial decree to create garments tailored to the wearer's measurements. Crafted with the finest materials, the best designs and the most delicate dyeing techniques, these pieces were regarded as the pinnacle of couture in custom tailoring, according to the organizers.
Among the artifacts on display are 14 rare treasures, 61 masterpieces and 26 significant artifacts. Selected from the best-kept items, 15 pieces are from the late Ming (1368-1644) and early Qing dynasties, with 36 others from the Qing Dynasty's golden age and 47 from the late Qing period.
Qing Dynasty court costume colors were derived from plants and are imbued with the heritage of traditional Chinese culture. The exhibited items are diverse in color, including bright yellow, moon white, lotus pink, and snow gray, whose trends have continually evolved throughout history.
