SHANGHAI TANG @ SS2013 Men & Women Collection

Shanghai Tang SS2013 collection  embodies the modern Chinese aesthetic in a relevant way with easy pieces for every day style. Aligned with today’s trends, the collection presents a sophisticated blend of fresh ideas, timeless elements and fashion’s current must haves crafted with luxurious materials and hand-finished details.

For women, spring begins with a palette of deep blues, reds, peridot greens and neutral egret. The auspicious Cloud print, symbolising the heavens and eternal fortune, is a modern interpretation of traditional Chinese Brush Painting and is available in an array of styles in RTW and accessories. A Pop Art warp print of the Peony, the symbol of Spring, is featured on many of Spring’s must have dresses. For the first time, Shanghai Tang offers a sleek Mandarin collar tuxedo in white and black, one of several tailored, minimalist pieces in the collection.

 Playful prints bring a youthful mood to the sophisticated collection. Sweet reds and rose pinks brighten classic navy blues, creams and beiges. The Peach print, for example, makes subtle reference to the ancient Chinese symbol of longevity and the key ingredient in Taoist love potions. Bamboo, representing a happy, long life, is beautifully rendered in a modern, geometric print. 

A sunny palette in white, beige and bursts of blue and vibrant orange announces the arrival of Summer. Effortlessly on-trend, the new trapeze silhouette dress is cut from Peony embroidered silk-cotton. Shirt dresses with full-skirts are tailored in classic beige or bright orange Peony print. Eye-catching tops in the new Chinese Tales print, inspired by antique ceramics, and Peony print silk georgette tops look equally appropriate for the office or a casual day out.

For men, the tailoring opts for softer construction, such as a more relaxed, casual shirt-jacket which does away with shoulder pads altogether. Jackets are essential to this collection of separates. The standard white shirt is reinvented in extra fine pique with Shanghai Tang’s signature Mandarin collar; while more shirts feature contrast-coloured double collars and cuffs. 

The short-sleeved “pilot shirt” is also back in a new way that feels fresh, young and current. All-over micro prints are carried over from Autumn/Winter. New handkerchiefs in shirting fabrics, Liberty florals, stripes, or embroidered linen pocket squares and printed wool-silk scarves further personalise the look. The Chinese Lock or Puyi Glasses embroidery motifs, for example, may be found on shirts, jeans pockets, and handkerchiefs.

Men at Shanghai Tang are encouraged to dress boldly with a head-to-toe colour statement, or the new look of clashing hues. The suit is now available in red. Chinos and jeans also come in bright blue, green, orange, red. Shorts are key, providing the ideal alternative to trousers, whether in Shanghai Tang’s reversible signature, or the new Foulard print. The latest accessories allow for more colour contrasts. The Lattice belt is now available in bold solids and classic tones. The automatic watch gets an update, too, with a new Nato nylon strap.

A palette of desert-inspired neutrals mixes with a fresh take on sophisticated blue chambray and melange greys. A cotton shirt with grosgrain trim is paired with sand cotton suit pants and a matching cotton zip cardigan. New uses of luxe fabrics transform casual basics. The classic suede blouson is updated in denim blue, and goes over a micro print cotton shirt with Puyi Glasses embroidered on the pocket. A softly structured Mandarin collar jacket with “reversible” buttons, is made of almost weightless cotton pique. Eco-washed jeans are worn with a pick-stitched blazer in technical fabric and an indigo V-neck T-shirt.