newbobooks Chapter 118 International Cultural Costume Design Competition (3)
Chapter 118 International Cultural Costume Design Competition (3)
As Ye Ningshuang curtsied in the ancient manner, the fan surface moved down, revealing her beautiful ancient-style makeup.
Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.
Shen Wancheng and Shen Wan applauded enthusiastically along with the audience who stood up.
Shen Yao asked with some concern.
"This wedding dress is absolutely stunning! Will the organizers allow that kimono to be given special treatment?"
Shen Wancheng thought about it and felt that Shen Yao's concerns were not unreasonable.
She hurriedly went out and found Liang Muchao's people, asking them to pass on a message to the organizers.
The designer of the Chinese-style dress that just appeared is quite old and no longer accepts any custom-made dresses.
Shen Wancheng believed that this alone would be enough for the organizers to choose that kimono after weighing the pros and cons.
Ye Ningshuang was one of the last few to appear. After giving instructions to her people, Shen Wancheng returned to the venue.
As Shen Wancheng had predicted, the organizers chose Li Gang's design.
Because after the last model finished showcasing the clothing, the organizer of the competition, the overseas Chinese initiator, suddenly said that they needed to add another session.
It is said that the event organizers lost a prop prepared by one of the contestants, which affected the contestant's performance.
In order to allow each contestant to fully showcase their design concept and the cultural elements it embodies, the organizers decided to have the contestant's wedding dress displayed again.
A murmur rippled through the audience.
But since the competition is organized by others, the audience can't really object.
After the overseas Chinese stepped down, several staff members immediately brought up several screens on the stage.
The patterns on the screen are all Japanese-style designs.
The stage was set up with this kind of backdrop, instantly creating a Japanese wedding atmosphere.
As Japanese-style music played, the models who had already been on stage returned, wearing the same kimono wedding dress that had been showcased.
This kimono perfectly replicates the style of traditional Japanese wedding attire. The inner layer is called a white kimono (shiromuku), while the outer jacket is called an iro-uchi (iro-uchi-kasa), which is red.
This kimono features intricate patterns embroidered with Suzhou embroidery, which, against the backdrop of the runway setting, gives it a very antique feel.
Aside from Ye Ningshuang's previous presentation, this one was definitely the best.
After the kimono display, the host came on stage and said that the judges were scoring and selecting winners, and everyone should enjoy a performance first.
Unbeknownst to the event organizers, during this performance, the live television broadcast was interrupted to inexplicably insert a video clip from the National Palace Museum in Taiwan.
This video has no introduction; it simply allows viewers to follow the camera and appreciate the cultural relics.
Many viewers were very impatient; they were all waiting to see the result of the match.
If that semi-traditional Chinese wedding attire doesn't win first place, they'll immediately rush to the competition venue and throw rotten eggs at it.
The audience isn't stupid; everyone saw through the organizer's final intention: they wanted to promote that kimono.
However, some viewers quickly discovered the intriguing aspects of the museum's videos.
In the video, the museum displays a burial item, a garment that has remained intact for a thousand years, which is shown inside the coffin.
Why does the pattern on it look so familiar?
I think I just saw this!
Many viewers quickly remembered that it was the pattern on the kimono that had just been shown.
The two countries have different cultures, and those patterns are very intricate. If it wasn't copied by Japan, how could they be the same?
But not only did they plagiarize, they also copied the patterns from the clothes of the dead onto their wedding gowns.
Even foreigners who are unfamiliar with Chinese culture would probably feel unlucky, right?
Those viewers watching the live stream at home wished they could immediately grab megaphones and rush to the scene to mock the kimono designer.
The performance at the competition venue ended quickly.
The overseas Chinese representative who organized the competition on behalf of a high-end luxury brand went on stage to announce the rankings.
The third place goes to a designer whose name Shen Wancheng remembered, who incorporated elements of ancient Egyptian pharaohs into his designs.
The second place went to Lan Qin.
Shen Wancheng had already gone backstage to find Lan Qin and told her about her arrangements.
So Lan Qin wasn't sad when she heard that she hadn't won first place.
But she refused to go on stage to accept the award.
The overseas Chinese designer's expression darkened noticeably when he didn't see Lan Qin bring Ye Ningshuang onto the stage.
When the overseas Chinese introduced Lan Qin's work, the audience realized that she was a designer of traditional Chinese wedding dresses.
The scene erupted in uproar.
Protests immediately followed.
"Are you blind? That semi-traditional Chinese wedding dress was so beautiful, and it's only second? The first one isn't the kimono for your wedding day, is it?"
"The wedding dress was mostly pure white, but I didn't feel it was unlucky at all!"
"What are the criteria for this competition? Didn't you notice that the embroidery on that kimono is Suzhou embroidery?"
The scene immediately descended into chaos.
All the foreign judges went up on the catwalk.
The overseas Chinese man spoke loudly into the microphone.
"Silence! Our judges are all top designers from around the world! The winner of the competition is their unanimous choice!"
"If Hong Kong Island wants to go global, the first step should be to raise its aesthetic standards and make them more sophisticated and international."
"To blindly promote Chinese culture is to be complacent and stagnant."
The overseas Chinese man's words stunned some of the audience. Some people were not fooled by him, but they were also thinking about how to fight back.
The scene fell silent for a moment.
The overseas Chinese took this opportunity to make a loud announcement.
"The first place winner of the competition is Mr. Li Gang, a designer who incorporates the traditional culture of Japan into his designs. Please welcome Mr. Li Gang to the stage."
Li Gang, who was ready to go on stage, turned around and gave Lan Qin and Shen Wancheng a provocative look after hearing the overseas Chinese announce his name before leading his model onto the stage.
Zhou Yunqing said through gritted teeth.
"What a petty person who has achieved his goal."
Lan Qin didn't speak, but her breathing became slightly heavy, clearly indicating that she was also holding her breath.
Shen Wancheng comforted them.
"The higher you stand, the harder you fall. Don't worry, his reputation will be ruined soon. Let's leave here and go to the stands."
"it is good."
Ye Ningshuang had already changed out of her wedding dress.
The group left the backstage area with their bodyguards.
On stage, Li Gang expressed his gratitude for the judges' affirmation.
The overseas Chinese then asked Li Gang about the design concept and ideas behind the wedding dress.
Li Gang said.
“I believe that cultures from different countries are interconnected, so when I was designing this wedding dress, I incorporated Suzhou embroidery from China into the traditional clothing of Japan. My Japanese friend recommended the patterns on this dress to me. I thought they were very beautiful and could well highlight the cultural heritage of Japan, so I adopted them.”
The overseas Chinese then asked the judges, "After learning about Li Gang's design concept, what would you like to say?"
A foreigner commented while holding a microphone.
"Mr. Li Gang is right. Cultures around the world are interconnected, and aesthetics are also interconnected."
“I believe that many Chinese people, once they break free from their narrow-minded perspective, will also find that the patterns Mr. Li Gang chose have a mysterious beauty. These patterns are very much in line with Asian aesthetics.”
Both Li Gang's words and the foreign judge's words made the audience clench their fists.
Everyone's not stupid; who can't understand the double entendre and sarcastic tone in those words?
For a moment, no one thought of how to refute it.
It was at this moment that an elderly man appeared at the entrance of the venue.
I don't know where he got the microphone from.
His voice echoed throughout the venue.
The old man asked.
"Mr. Li Gang, what is your basis for claiming that the pattern on the kimono comes from Japan, the land of cherry blossoms?"
“I do have artifacts unearthed in Taiwan, as well as ancient Chinese books that record that the patterns on your kimono are exclusive designs for ancient Chinese funeral garments.”