In continuum with Khotan, the Silk Road Collection for Fall Winter 2007, Shanghai Tang travels further down the trade route to Dunhuang that inspired Apsara, the Silk Road Collection for Spring Summer 2008.Located near the historic junction of the northern and southern Silk Roads, Dunhuang was a town of military importance. For centuries Buddhist monks at Dunhuang collected scriptures from the west, and many pilgrims passed through the area, painting murals inside the Mogao Caves or "Caves of a Thousand Buddhas."
A small number of Christian artifacts have also been found in the caves, testimony to the wide variety of people who made their way along the Silk Road. Today, the site is an important tourist attraction and the subject of an ongoing archaeological project.
The Collection:
The term Apsara refers to the celestial maidens depicted on the Buddhist scriptures found in Dunhuang. The ability for these supernatural beings to take on many forms ties in with the three very distinctive design stories in the SS08 collection.
The "Desert Explorer" installment comprises of earthy tones and airy georgette silk with prints inspired by the Buddhist scriptures found in Dunhuang. Fitting to the expedition theme, the installment focuses on explorer jackets and light tunics made of the finest silk and embellished with studs and jade.
The "Antique Romantic" installment features beautiful crochet coats, feminine silhouettes and pastelprints in fine silk and linen. The rustic theme runs throughout in the flowing silk dresses, slim qipaos and printed overcoats found in this collection.
The "Pop Art" installment is a daring twist of bright geometric prints and nostalgic silhouettes. Bat-sleeved sweaters, sequined mini-dresses and hot shorts splashed with the "pop peony" print that is the defining print of the collection.
Shanghai Tang
