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7 October 2026 | Oriental Fashion Centre · Qingdao Yellow Box Art Museum
With the theme “Rooted in Heritage, Rising into Light,” ISABELLE.C partnered with the renowned fashion platform Zhuojiaren to present a special showcase at Qingdao Fashion Week 2026. Featuring 50 fashion looks, the presentation brought together rare materials and handcrafts including Xiangyunsha (Gambiered Canton Silk), antique silk, vintage and contemporary embroidery, kesi tapestry, China’s five great brocades, organza, fur, and leather. Set within a space where art and fashion converge, the show unfolded as a fashion narrative of Eastern culture, intangible cultural heritage (ICH) craftsmanship, and contemporary art.
This was a cultural and fashion exploration that began with “origins” and moved toward “light”:
Rooted in heritage means returning to the roots of Chinese traditional craftsmanship and Eastern aesthetics.
Rising into light means pursuing the light of art and innovation, while allowing culture refined over thousands of years to grow anew in the contemporary era.
ART IS FASHION COLLECTION
The “ART IS FASHION” collection brought together several of the brand’s signature artistic creations. Among them were works by Hong Kong emerging artists Isaac Chen and Isabelle Chen, whose series was previously invited to be shown in a collateral event of the 61st Venice Biennale. Their artworks were printed and dyed onto Gambiered Canton Silk, an ICH fabric.
Flowers of Hope and A Brilliant Galaxy, created by Hong Kong emerging artist Isabelle Chen, use distinct colour languages to depict the blossoming of life and the brilliance of the universe. ISABELLE.C incorporated the colours and brushwork of the original artworks into the printing and dyeing of Gambiered Canton Silk, allowing the hope of flowers and the splendour of the galaxy to flow across the garments.
The brand also integrated Prosperous Steeds: Auspicious Horses Bringing Good Fortune, a work by Mr. Zhao Zhijing—a Hong Kong ink artist, Chairman of the Visual Arts Committee of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Executive Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Artists Association, and member of the Chinese Artists Association—into ISABELLE.C’s designs. The work conveys the power of Eastern ink-wash horses galloping across a vast landscape.
GAMBIERED CANTON SILK · CHINESE BROCADES
Camille Xiong, Founder of ISABELLE.C (far left in the photo above), wears A Taste of Hong Kong (left image), an original artwork printed on Gambiered Canton Silk. At the event, she shares the brand’s “ART IS FASHION” philosophy and its Interwoven Realms collection, 方隅疊境.
The Qingdao Yellow Box Art Museum, which hosted the showcase, advocates the integration of art, space, and life—an approach that closely aligns with ISABELLE.C’s philosophy: art should not exist only in galleries, but can also enter everyday life.
When paintings meet Gambiered Canton Silk, art becomes wearable and perceptible fashion, allowing “ART IS FASHION” to truly take place in contemporary life.
ROOTED IN HERITAGE
From the light of art, back to the roots of Eastern culture
If art is the “light” that ISABELLE.C pursues, then ICH craftsmanship is the soil from which that light grows.
ISABELLE.C grounds its creations in ICH fabrics and handcrafts, bringing traditional materials such as Gambiered Canton Silk, kesi tapestry, and Song brocade—as well as antique silk satin and embroidery imbued with the traces of time—back into contemporary fashion. Some pieces have endured decades; others continue ancient weaving techniques; and others preserve irreplaceable details of handmade creation. Together, they form the most essential sense of “time” in ISABELLE.C’s work.
KESI TAPESTRY
Kesi is created using the “continuous warp, interrupted weft” technique: threads are changed section by section according to the pattern, and the textile is woven progressively. The more intricate the design, the greater the demands on colour transitions and outline precision.
The complexity of ISABELLE.C’s bespoke kesi pieces lies in the dual craftsmanship of weaving and garment construction. The brand incorporates kesi into mixed-material designs, requiring meticulous coordination of the thickness, stretch, and drape of different fabrics, along with precise control of pattern proportions, joining positions, and motif direction. From weaving to cutting and construction, every step must balance pattern integrity, texture preservation, and garment structure—transforming precious traditional craftsmanship into wearable contemporary art.
Vintage Collection
This collection brings together antique silk satin aged over 60 years, traditional embroidery with a history of over 80 years, and exquisite hand-beaded embroidery. The lustre of time-honoured textiles is reimagined through contemporary tailoring, bringing precious traditional craftsmanship into modern life and carrying forward the enduring elegance of Eastern aesthetics.
Vintage embroidered fur coat × gold-thread vintage embroidered vest
Both embroidered pieces are more than 80 years old.The vintage gold-thread embroidered inner layer required hundreds of hours of meticulous hand-positioning.
ISABELLE.C founder Xiong Jiawen (second from left) introduces the collection.
RISING INTO LIGHT
When Eastern heritage meets contemporary tailoring
From art to heritage; from canvas to fabric; from tradition to modernity—ultimately, everything returns to the individual.
The newly launched “Modern Fashion” collection and evening-gown pieces take the spirit of Eastern culture as their core, incorporating hand-beading, three-dimensional embroidery, layered tulle, and luminous satin. Through contemporary sculptural tailoring and Western silhouettes, they reconstruct the aesthetics of the modern Eastern evening gown.
Chinese elements are no longer merely decorative; they are integrated into proportion, structure, and material. Within the fusion of Eastern and Western aesthetics, the collection explores new possibilities for contemporary Eastern fashion.
The inspiration began with the first ray of morning light passing through the forest.
It is not loud, yet it awakens everything: leaves unfurl, moss spreads, mist rises, and all things find their own direction within the order of light. We transformed the trajectory of this light into a language upon the garments: layered shades of blue and green trace life’s gradual journey from subtlety to abundance. Across the body of each garment, they interweave and extend—like vines climbing, roots spreading, and time leaving its rings within fabric. Nourished by light, each form establishes its own posture: rising into light without dependence, evolving without blind conformity. Ultimately, the wearer becomes their own unique source of light.
The collection moves between the brightness of soft pink and macaron purple and the calm of ink green and deep black, using a diverse palette to express different facets of femininity. The warm lustre of silk satin and the light, flowing movement of organza intertwine with the brilliant play of beaded embroidery, outlining an evening-wear aesthetic that combines Eastern charm with contemporary fashion tension—soft yet powerful, graceful yet radiant.
Dr. Zhuo Fan, founder of Zhuojiaren (second from left), with the ISABELLE.C team.
BEYOND RUNWAY
In addition to the runway presentation, ISABELLE.C established a brand exhibition space at the Yellow Box Art Museum during this edition of Qingdao Fashion Week. It attracted numerous visitors, fashion enthusiasts, and industry professionals, who viewed the brand’s works up close and experienced its fusion of Eastern aesthetics, ICH craftsmanship, and contemporary design—gaining a deeper appreciation of the innovative expression of traditional Chinese culture in contemporary fashion.
Through this combination of exhibition and presentation, more people were able to discover ISABELLE.C’s brand philosophy and artistic character, and to experience the distinctive appeal of Eastern culture meeting fashion.
Chen Shuzhen, founder of Gewai Reception Room and Gewai Bookstore (left), with ISABELLE.C founder Xiong Jiawen (right).
The Yellow Box Art Museum’s “Yellow Box” concept emphasises that art should not be separated from life. It seeks to break down boundaries between tradition and modernity, East and West, and art and everyday life, allowing space, artworks, and viewers to merge. In contrast with the traditional Western “white box” museum, which emphasises the independent display and quiet contemplation of artworks, the “Yellow Box” places greater emphasis on immersive experience and emotional resonance, continuing the Eastern aesthetic spirit of integrating art into life and the everyday.
This closely aligns with ISABELLE.C’s enduring brand philosophy. As a Hong Kong brand dedicated to Chinese intangible cultural heritage fashion, we are committed to integrating traditional craftsmanship, contemporary design, and original art—allowing ICH to step out of history, enter daily life, and gain renewed vitality through the creativity and stewardship of younger generations.
This journey into the Yellow Box Art Museum was not only an encounter between couture and art, but also a resonance between Eastern aesthetics and contemporary fashion. ART IS FASHION. ISABELLE.C will continue to use fashion as a medium to carry forward Eastern heritage, interpret new fashion, and bring Chinese intangible cultural heritage to an ever-broader global stage.
SPECIAL THANKS
We sincerely thank the Zhuojiaren fashion platform for its strong support and professional collaboration, including providing models for this showcase and joining ISABELLE.C in presenting a visual celebration that unites Eastern culture, ICH craftsmanship, and contemporary fashion. We look forward to continuing our partnership and bringing the beauty of the East to shine on even more stages.
From left: Liu Yixiao, Operations Lead of Zhuojiaren; Xiong Jiawen, Founder of ISABELLE.C; Zhuojiaren model Liu Lifang; Dr. Zhuo Fan, Founder of Zhuojiaren; Dou Siyu, Overall Champion of the 33rd New Silk Road China Model Contest; and runway director Sun Siyu.
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