Vivienne Tam, the queen of east-meets-west fashion, has experienced many firsts in her celebrated career. In 2024, she added two more: making her Paris Fashion Week debut in celebration of her namesake brand’s 30th anniversary and launchingits inaugural Chinese bridalwear collection.
Unveiled during the autumn-winter 2024 show in Paris and later showcased at Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong, the collection is a stunning testament to the power of love, culture and sustainability. At its heart is thekwan kwa or qun gua, a traditional Chinese wedding gown—a usually red, two-piece jacket and skirt combo adorned with embroidered auspicious patterns and motifs, which has remained largely unchanged for generations. “The Chinese wedding dress has remained unchanged for ages—since I was little,” Tam tells Tatler. “I’ve always wanted to transform it but never had the chance until now.” This longing for transformation culminated in this collection that breathes new life into the beloved garment.
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Modernised bridalwear looks presented during the Vivienne Tam autumn-winter 2024 show in Paris (Photo: courtesy of Vivienne Tam)
Modernised bridalwear looks presented during the Vivienne Tam autumn-winter 2024 show in Paris (Photo: courtesy of Vivienne Tam)
Modernised bridalwear looks presented during the Vivienne Tam autumn-winter 2024 show in Paris (Photo: courtesy of Vivienne Tam)
Modernised bridalwear looks presented during the Vivienne Tam autumn-winter 2024 show in Paris (Photo: courtesy of Vivienne Tam)
Tam’s inspiration came from her desire to connect with the kwan kwa on a deeper level. “The designs haven’t changed in terms of embroidery or silhouettes, which are singular and dull. I wanted to create fashionable kwan kwa, to retain the delicate embroidery but adapt the outfits to contemporary life,” she explains.
The collection features a mix of sequinned cheongsam, flowing gowns adorned with phoenixes, and embroidered short dresses with oversized shoulders, each piece telling its own story of cultural fusion. With lighter materials and customisable options, her creations appeal to the younger generation, who seek to honour tradition while embracing contemporary styles. “I’ve observed that they want something lighter, like cheongsam in mesh,” she says. The collection also features fabrics like chiffon which, while uncommon in Chinese wedding outfits, offer versatility for future rewears.
“Weddings and marriage are such a cultural mix now. I’ve always wanted to create something suitable for an east-meets-west wedding,” she says. “A Chinese-style wedding is almost like a fashion show, with many rituals throughout the day.” Her designs cater to this dynamic experience, offering pieces that reflect both influences.
As part of the collection, Tam also collaborated with mainland Chinese wedding jewellery brand Darry Ring to produce three series of jewellery that merge traditional Chinese motifs with modern aesthetics. “For example, the dragon jewellery is not just [traditional] gold—we’ve added diamonds, allowing for mix-and-match styles,” the designer says.
Modernised bridalwear looks presented during the Vivienne Tam autumn-winter 2024 show in Paris (Photo: courtesy of Vivienne Tam)
Perhaps the most groundbreaking aspect of Tam’s bridalwear collection is her approach to sustainability. She sourced dresses from wedding rental shops across China—most brides hire their outfit for their special day, then return it—and removed the pankou (“frog” button closures) and delicately embroidered dragons, phoenixes and clouds. She then used these elements to create entirely new designs while preserving the intricate craftsmanship.
“Usually it takes six months to create a new kwan kua, so it’s very important to preserve the embroidery, which is very pricey. One old kwan kua can be upcycled into two or three new designs,” she says. “It’s magical to have the freedom to play with this embroidery on new [silhouettes], different lengths and new materials.” What’s more, since these pieces are not rented but bought, Tam has designed them to be kept and cherished. “I think it’s more special to own a piece which you can pass down to the next generations,” she says. “It carries special memories of the most special day of your life.”
Tam tells us she has been struggling to get the kwan kua craftsmen on board when it comes to modernising their own approach; for example, by experimenting with different compositions when executing her designs. “At the factories, I need to explain why I want them to adopt a new way of placing the embroidery. A lot of experienced craftsmen refuse to change because they’ve been doing it the same way for ages,” says the designer. “But it’s still the same technique— they just need to think out of the box and apply it creatively.”
Yet Tam remains committed to her vision of preserving cultural heritage while pushing boundaries and adapting it to a modern life. “It’s the responsibility and mission of a designer to promote the culture and pass down the art, letting younger generations appreciate the beauty of craftsmanship.”
Designer Vivienne Tam with Paris Jackson and models backstage at the Vivienne Tam spring-summer 2025 show in Paris (Photo: courtesy of Vivienne Tam)
Tam’s work has always celebrated her cultural heritage, and her spring-summer 2025 collection, titled La Li—Hainan Breeze, is no exception. Presented in Paris last September beneath the iconic Alexander III Bridge, the collection pays homage to the Lí ethnic minority, renowned for their 3,000-year-old tradition of brocade weaving, which has been recognised on Unesco’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. As the 67-year-old design legend flipped through her mood boards—and expressed her excitement at having model Paris Jackson, the late Michael Jackson’s daughter, who is also an advocate for ethical and sustainable fashion, open her show—she shared a close-up of the making of the resort-ready collection.
The collection visually bridges Hainan’s heritage and a modern style meant for the streets of Paris, Hong Kong and New York, featuring boxy separates that echo the traditional clothing of the indigenous group to typical athleisure items such as polo dresses and sporty jackets. The Lí people’s rich iconography, including symbols of strength, nature and community—deer, frogs, flowers, dancing women and the god of protection—are re-contextualised and re-engineered into new graphic patterns.
They are then embroidered, crocheted or printed across the designs in a palette of crisp white lace, with splashes of ginger, indigo, cornflower blue, spinach green and cabbage purple injecting tropical vitality. Tam also engaged Hainan’s Lí artisans to craft many of the fabrics using their indigenous methods—a communal undertaking that sits at the very far end of the spectrum from today’s fast fashion. “Embracing traditional craftsmanship is my ongoing commitment to sustainability and the empowerment of local artisans,” the designer says. “I want the younger generation to wear them and touch them to feel the history and their roots. They are not costumes any more but really beautiful and cool fashionable pieces they can wear every day.”
In a world where tradition and modernity often clash, Tam’s work has long captured the essence of cultural harmony, yet it continues to evolve as the world changes. By breathing new life into ancient Chinese artisanal techniques, she reimagines them through a modern lens, ensuring they continue to resonate powerfully today.
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