HANGZHOU, China, May 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — China National Silk Museum recently reopened its first commercial space exhibition at Hangzhou Tower in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province after temporary closure due to COVID-19. The show is the first joint effort between a state-owned museum and retail businesses in China that blazes an innovative trail for exhibiting art, providing people with greater access to a rich cultural experience.
Titled Fashion Silhouettes, the show is the first offering by China National Silk Museum’s Fashion Museum, a long-term art exhibition space at Hangzhou Tower. The exhibition features costumes from the 18th to 20th century with selections from the silk museum’s Western Collection, such as an 18th-century corset, and dresses of Neoclassicism and Romanticism. During the mid-19th century, ‘independent designer’ began as a profession. The exhibition displays works of famous designers such as Jeanne Lanvin, Pierre Balmain, and Yves Saint Laurent, accompanied by exquisite shoes, hats, and handbags, showing the flourishing design scene of the 20th century.
“The Fashion Museum of China National Silk Museum is the result of a collaboration between cultural institutions in Zhejiang and the business sector in Hangzhou. It is also the first time that a national museum has a presence in a commercial space and produces long term exhibitions there. The collaboration is of great significance and I’m sure it will have a profound impact on issues such as how we provide public services in culture and preserve cultural relics to make it boom again,” said Dr. Feng Zhao, director of China National Silk Museum.
Jin Zheng, deputy general manager of Hangzhou Tower, said that in this cross-border collaboration, art meets business, and history integrates with the present. “For many years, Hangzhou Tower has remained steadfast in its commitment to bringing an exquisite and quality lifestyle to consumers. China National Silk Museum is the world’s leading museum in silks, making it one of the best places globally to learn about and enjoy the art of silks. The partnership starts with an ambition to reinvigorate cultural relics and create a vibrant city life. We hope we can further integrate fashion and art and promote the culture of garments to better serve consumers,” said Zheng.