SHIATZY CHEN
WANG CHEN TSAI-HSIA is the designer on a mission to define neo-Chinese chic. Better known professionally as Shiatzy Chen, she’s the founder of SHIATZY CHEN, the eponymous luxury fashion house often referred to as the Chanel of Taiwan.
Shiatzy Chen. Courtesy Photo
INTERVIEWER WEI LIU
Born in 1951 in Changhua, a city with a rich cultural history in Taiwan, Chen was the eldest daughter of seven and had to drop out of high school to support her family. She chose to learn design for work as it was something that she enjoyed. While she might not be able to afford the glamorous dresses displayed in store windows, she could learn to make them.
She started as an apprentice tailor working in her uncle’s shop and quickly picked up the skills with a talent for embroidery and detailed handwork. Soon after, the young dressmaker had a group of loyal customers who knew that they would receive a dress from her only if it were perfect. Chen established SHIATZY CHEN in 1978 at the age of 27 with the support of her textile broker husband, Wang Yuan-Hong. She met this skilful businessman when she was sent to a fabric shop to work out yardage for a large order. At the time, they noticed that consumers were obsessed with foreign brands. Chen is proud of her Chinese roots thus, the company was founded on a neo-Chinese concept that emphasised traditional Chinese craftsmanship and the fusion of the East and the West to weave a new fashion scenescape.
Where Western design has historically been sculptural and three-dimensional in form, with volume and shape, Chinese clothing has typically involved simple two-dimensional construction, opting instead for the sumptuous decorations of gorgeous embroidery and rich fabrics. There are no less than four distinctive styles of embroidery in China (Shu embroidery from Sichuan, Suzhou embroidery from Jiangsu, Xiang embroidery from Hunan, and Yue embroidery from Guangdong) and four types of brocade (Sung brocade from Suzhou, Yuen brocade from Nanjing, Sichuan brocade from Chengdu, and Hangzhou brocade). Additionally, the customs of China’s dozens of ethnic minorities, each of whom have distinctive modes of dress add to the richness of the country’s sartorial display. Chen understands this value of heritage and seeks to preserve these precious crafts. Since 2000, the label has collaborated with Xiang and Suzhou embroiderers to apply their delicate stitching and cutout work to its garments.
SHIATZY CHEN Spring/Summer 2009 China Collection. Courtesy Photo
Chen has a vision to combine elements from traditional Chinese clothing with modern silhouettes from the Western canon. She knew that to realise her dream and meet her own high standards, she had to go to the centre of Western fashion and train in Paris, the birthplace of couture. The distinction led her to set up a studio in Paris in 1990, where she hired a French tailor and pattern-maker to train her staff in the latest Western cuts and old-world tailoring techniques.
As the first Taiwanese brand to enter the European market, they went through many difficult periods but she never thought about giving up. “It is a trial-and-error process,” says Chen. “There is no way forward, no one knows if we will succeed.”
In 2008, SHIATZY CHEN was formally invited to show at Paris Fashion Week. Combining the best of Eastern aesthetics and Western craftsmanship, Chen debuted her Spring/Summer 2009 collection inspired by the symmetry of ancient Chinese porcelain and pottery which became critically acclaimed. Since then, Chen’s passion for Chinese culture has blossomed into full glory. “Being a part of Paris Fashion Week was an opportunity for us to reflect on where we were and to remind us we needed to work harder,” she recalls. In November 2009, SHIATZY CHEN was elected as a permanent member of the French Federation of Fashion, and was the only designer brand from the Greater China region amongst the many other emblematic brands on the global stage. “It wasn’t easy for us. They set the bar very high, they visited our stores in Taiwan and also went to our manufactory in mainland China – they came to check the scale of our entire business”, remarks Chen as she described the time-consuming assessment process required to make the official list in the annual Mode à Paris Prêt-à-Porter calendar.
Shiatzy Chen looking for inspiration from calligraphy. Courtesy Photo
Though Chen didn’t have the financial ability to go to design school to learn fashion when she was young, she understands the richness of Chinese culture and history and as such it’s become a never-ending source of inspiration for her. She has a deep veneration for heritage and constantly draws from Chinese artistry to develop entire collections of designs. Chen extrapolates from the ‘three perfections’ ideology – involving poetry, painting and calligraphy – within Chinese art and history to create her own trilogy of perfection under the crafts of embroidery, handwork and silk. “Chinese calligraphy and ink painting can expand without boundaries. That is why they became part of the inspiration for fabric development at SHIATZY CHEN,” she explains.
The Sac de Jade handbag is one of Chen’s most iconic designs. As a highly valued material in Chinese culture, jade symbolises nobility, perfection, and immortality as well as the Confucian ideals of wisdom, justice, compassion, modesty, and courage, which makes it a favourite among society. The carved jade handle was inspired by the jade bracelets passed from generation to generation, greatly treasured by the women of China. The warmth and depth of the jade can be appreciated whether the bag is held by its handle or worn on the arm. The Sac de Jade handbags are reinvented each season in line with the collection’s themes.
Sac De Jade Handbags. Courtesy Photo
With much patience and a keen sense of business, the brand has developed slowly but steadily over the last four decades into one of the top brands in Asia. Although she has achieved many accomplishments under the support of the strong team behind her, Chen remains active in the front-line of creative work and spends most of her time working in the company.
Chen denies that every single item produced in SHIATZY CHEN has to be approved by her: “I have a professional team combined of the younger, the middle-aged and the elder generations; we will work together when I encounter a problem that is difficult to decide. This is the way I work, you can’t be too authoritarian about anything.”
Chen goes to the gym every morning, to keep her health in good condition and to get ready for work. When asked about retirement, she answers, “ I am in my late 60s now, I might not have much time left, but I feel it’s just the beginning, I want to make it better next time, then I will be more excited, happy and courageous. I want to challenge these more difficult things. That’s how I feel every single day.”
This profile was originally published in The WOW N° 2, 2019.