POPPY WANG- A BIOGRAPHY
POPPY WANG, the brand, was founded in Shanghai in 2021. Poppy Wang was raised in China, and having studied in Vancouver and New York for ten years, Designer Poppy has shaped her brand's style with her experiences and stories. POPPY WANG blends Eastern aesthetics with Western tailoring. The brand's designs integrate classic cheongsam elements with traditional buttoning, embroidery techniques, brocade fabrics, and patterns. The designs emphasize a female figure's beauty, elegance, and sensuality through slim-cut tailoring. A singular aesthetic standard should not confine women, and POPPY WANG hopes that every wearer can bravely showcase their true selves, unaffected by external opinions.
A REVIEW
POPPY WANG; EAST MEETS WEST AT VFW S/S 2025
Poppy Wang showed her premiere collection "Inheritress" under the eponymous label " Poppy Wang. " I met Poppy just after her collection had been shown at VFW. The designer wore one of her creations, a black, body-hugging peplumed suit with a traditional mandarin collar and frog closures. The design is a contemporary interpretation of qipao. The designer expressed her love of qipao, also known as Cheongsam. Qipao is a style that combines traditional Chinese design aspects with Western tailoring. Wang said of her collection, "Traditionally, Chinese women were covered and wore garments that minimized the female figure. With the development of qipao, women were liberated to express themselves and celebrate their womanhood. The Chinese women became empowered to show their curves and their sexuality." Fashion history tells us that the modern age of qipao became popular in the 1920s and evolved in shape and design over the years. In an excited tone, Wang says," I love my culture, and like qipao, I am a combination of both Eastern and Western influences." Her excitement comes from her desire to share her heritage and her unique interpretation of qipao.
POPPY WANG ON THE RUNWAY
Poppy Wang sent a capsule collection of eight gowns down the runway and left the excited audience wanting more. The collection was a celebration of both shape and colour. The elaborate silhouettes accentuated the curves of the female form. Wang's desire to cultivate the Chinese identity is evident, while her use of internationally sourced fabrics and evening gown silhouettes gives the collection a global appeal. Wang expressed her desire to market her brand to every woman, and every woman who wants a red carpet-ready look will find something here.
The diverse colour palette shone. Red, pink and various blues stand like jewels under the lights. A gown with a brilliant teal ruffle on a black background opened the show; the exaggerated flounce at the hip gave the dress buoyant movement. Wang's love of qipao is evident with the most traditional silhouette, a black fitted ankle-length dress with a mandarin collar. The sleek frock is decorated with handpainted pink floral designs and is accompanied by a trailing ruffled cloak in vibrant red; this look steals the show. Wang relies on her technical skill rather than hefty narratives or gimmicks. The collection's appeal is in its glamour and attention to detail. Details include a butterfly on a bodice, a detached Mandarin collar that sits like a necklace, and a satin blue ruffled stole. The designer uses embroidery and luxurious fabrics from France and Italy in her designs. Each look stands as a testament to the designer's vision. The closing look is a couture staple, a wedding dress with a high Mandarin collar and white roses detailing the waist.
Qipao has historically been associated with the women's liberation movement and reflects how Chinese women struggled with oppression. For Wang, the qipao represents not just a bridge to the past and the women who wore these dresses but a road to the future and a desire to bring her take on contemporary qipao to the world. This elegant, sophisticated collection is a revelry of beauty and refinement.
PHOTOS BY ARUN NEVADER
IN CONCLUSION
I am always thrilled to meet and interview designers. Poppy Wang had first arranged to show her collection in 2020. However, the pandemic and quarantine scrapped that plan. The collection Poppy showed was a proper tribute to her culture. Cultural exchange is a vital part of the fashion industry. Designers can draw inspiration from various cultural traditions, history, traditional prints, fabrics and techniques. The globalization of fashion is not just about exchanging ideas, values, and traditions. It's about creating a global fashion language that celebrates beauty and diversity while building cultural relationships and connections. This is celebrated at Vancouver Fashion Week as they welcome the world. Thanks to designers like Poppy Wang, who share their culture and ideas with all of us.
POPPY WANG AND I AT VFW
CIAO FOR J. ANDREW JACKSON