Shiatzy Chen is collaborating with emerging photographer Yung Hua Chen on a visually striking campaign. Here, the pair takes Tatler behind the scenes
Wang Chen Tsai-Hsia, better known as Madame Wang, established Shiatzy Chen in 1978 with a view to modernising the Chinese aesthetic without abandoning traditional silhouettes. The Taiwanese brand was one of the first to introduce neo-Chinese chic—a marriage of western aesthetics with Chinese craftsmanship and cultural traits—to the global fashion stage. Yung Hua Chen represents a new wave of Taiwanese photographers who focus on images of women. The pair created a Chinese New Year campaign with the theme “red sorghum”: rich in colour and traditional charm, it depicts a journey home for the festivities. Here, the pair share their creative process and resolutions for the new year.
See also: Ladies First: Shiatzy Chen Founder Madame Wang On Working With Family
What was the inspiration behind the theme “red sorghum”?
Madame Wang: Red sorghum symbolises a spirit, a resilience. For this photo shoot, we used nearly 300 kilograms of red sorghum grains. They carry the essence of the wild and its vibrant nature, and represent harvest and good fortune, and paving a way back home.
Yung Hua Chen: The colour red is an auspicious and warm blessing to start the new year. Meanwhile, the natural landscape symbolises the expansiveness of the characters’ inner thoughts, and the music and dance played on site represent a shared harmony.
