Wrapping Up A Busy Year In China With Fashion Show, "Lady Dior As Seen By" Exhibition#
French fashion giant Dior has had a very busy year in China. In May, the brand brought a traveling multimedia exhibition to Shanghai, featuring interpretations of the classic Lady Dior handbag by some of the world’s best-known photographers, filmmakers and visual artists. Then, in July, the fashion house marked the opening of its newly renovated location at Shanghai's IFC mall with an exclusive fashion show. In November, as part of its celebration of the grand opening of its new boutique at Guangzhou’s Taikoo Hui Mall, Dior held a star-studded party to debut its S/S 2012 in the southern metropolis. Soon after, Dior sent its perfume master François Demachy to Chengdu to discuss a new collection of 10 individual fragrances with invited guests.
This week, Dior capped off this busy (and successful) year with the grand opening of its new 800 square meter Beijing flagship store at Shin Kong Place (previously on Jing Daily). To launch the new location, Dior invited dozens of Chinese celebrities, artists and local socialites to take part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony and viewing of the "Lady Dior As Seen By" exhibition, which presents more than 50 creations from international contemporary artists. The exhibition will be on show through January 16, 2012.
Kicking off with a ribbon-cutting by LVMH CEO and chairman, Bernard Arnault, Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung and actor Huang Xiaoming, Christian Dior president and CEO, Sidney Toledano, and Christian Dior VP, Delphine Arnault, around 300 guests and celebrities mingled at a cocktail event in the new Dior flagship.
Afterwards, Dior launched the location with a dinner party and fashion show featuring its S/S 2012 collection at the southern plaza of China Center Place. The star-studded party included familiar faces like Zhang Ziyi, Hu Bing, Dou Rao, Zhou Dongyu, Na Ying and Huo Siyan, as well as Beijing trendsetter and socialites like designers Ye Mingzi and Wan Baobao, photographer Chen Man and Zhang Wanru. Artists who collaborated with Dior on the "Lady Dior As Seen By" exhibition, such as Liu Jianhua, Huang Rui, and Rong Rong and Inri, were also on hand for the dinner party and fashion show.
You have to hand it to Dior, even as other luxury brands approach 2012 with a bit more caution, the French fashion house knows how to cap off a successful year in style.