M+, Asia’s global museum of contemporary visual culture in the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong, will present Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination, the first major exhibition in East Asia of celebrated Chinese couture artist Guo Pei (Chinese, born 1967), organised in close collaboration with the artist and her studio. Generously supported by Lead Sponsor HSBC, the Special Exhibition will be held in M+’s Main Hall Gallery with an additional presentation in the Main Hall on the museum’s ground floor. The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday, 21 September 2024 to Sunday, 6 April 2025.

Guo Pei’s first major exhibition in East Asia

Guo Pei is among China’s first generation of contemporary fashion designers. Spanning nearly four decades, her practice resonates with Asian and global cultural trends over the past century. Guo’s highly imaginative work blends historic Chinese craftsmanship with global inspirations, Western tailoring, and haute couture, the high-end dressmaking practice that originated in nineteenth-century Europe. At the forefront of rejuvenating traditional Chinese embroidery, Guo and her team have adapted many embroidery techniques and couture craftsmanship, reviving this intangible cultural heritage and continuing its legacy by incorporating cross-cultural influences.

Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination features more than forty haute couture show pieces loaned from Guo’s atelier Rose Studio. They are placed in dialogue with works of art and design from the M+ Collections, creating a network of visual and thematic ideas across artistic practices and cultures. Guo’s stunning work reflects her creative philosophy and journey in haute couture as she innovates on tradition and craftsmanship, revealing the transcendent power of fashion and art.

The Special Exhibition is curated by Ikko Yokoyama, Lead Curator, Design and Architecture, M+, supported by Wen Bi, Assistant Curator, Design and Architecture, M+, and Mankit Lai, Curatorial Assistant, M+, in partnership with Guo and her atelier Rose Studio. It showcases Guo’s creative universe through five main themes that highlight her international career and her unique design journey:

• The Joy of Life surveys Guo’s exhilarating collections Garden of Soul (2015) and An Amazing Journey in a Childhood Dream (2007), in which she combines a fascination with nature with her personal memories. In these works, pastoral scenes and fantastical dreamscapes capture the vibrancy of nature and the innocence of childhood. These themes are echoed in paintings and objects from the M+ Collections that are also inspired by fables, fantasies, and the natural world.

• New Tales from the East showcases collections that take inspiration from Eastern folktales, exploring ancient cultural forms and symbols with a contemporary twist. 1002 Nights (2009) references the literary work One Thousand and One Nights, while East Palace (2019) incorporates ancient Chinese mythological imagery and imperial motifs to consider the connections between the present and the past. Guo’s 2009 dress The Yellow Queen, a gown weighing twenty-five kilograms with a four-metre-long train, is a spectacular expression of female confidence and strength. It was worn by Rihanna to the Met Gala in New York in 2015. This iconic gown made Guo an international household name and will be shown in this section of the exhibition.

• Transcending Space reflects on architecture as a rich source of inspiration for Guo. In Legends (2017) and L’Architecture (2018), she reimagines fashion as moving architecture that envelops the human body by incorporating inspirations from Baroque and Gothic churches. Alongside these works are photographs and paintings from the M+ Collections that reveal how other artists find visual inspiration in architecture.

• Ethereal Mythologies highlights Guo’s collections that reimagine Eastern and Western mythologies, exploring their histories, beliefs, and ancestral stories. In Legend of the Dragon (2012), Guo conveys the mythical creature’s majestic beauty and its symbolic significance in Chinese culture. In Elysium (2018), Guo presents an eternal paradise brimming with natural scenes, including creeping roots, blooming flowers, and twisting branches.

• On Dreams and Reality reveals Guo’s reflections on time and regeneration. Samsara (2006) explores nature’s rhythms, from the interplay of night and day to the course of life. This collection includes the monumental gown The Magnificent Gold (2006), Guo’s first haute couture piece. The collection Encounter (2016) shows Guo’s use of unconventional fabrics and dramatic colours. This suite of garments embodies her thoughts on causality as well as her belief in dreams as the root of art. This section is complemented by works from the M+ Collections that explore notions of time and the human life cycle.

Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+, says, ‘Guo Pei is a trailblazing designer and artist who interprets both Western and Chinese motifs with inventive boldness. We are thrilled to celebrate the work of China’s leading couture artist while placing her masterpieces in conversation with the M+ Collections, unveiling an imaginative story that brings to light the richness of contemporary Asian art and design.’

Ikko Yokoyama, Lead Curator, Design and Architecture, M+, says, ‘Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination is the first large-scale exhibition in East Asia dedicated to the legendary couture artist Guo Pei. The exhibition journeys through Guo’s rich universe, charting her profound cultural references, dreamlike designs, supreme craftsmanship, and transcendent creations that have made a deep impact in the worlds of fashion and popular culture. By exhibiting her fantastic collections and career-defining garments alongside works from the M+ Collections, we invite visitors to consider the artistry of fashion design and its associations with contemporary visual culture.’

Guo Pei says, ‘It is a great pleasure to have my work spotlighted by M+, an acclaimed museum of contemporary visual culture in Asia. The exhibition marks an important milestone in my career, bringing decades of my creations to life through artistic conversations in a global museum. I am excited to share my work and ideas with audiences across cultures, who may look at these pieces from different points of view and appreciate them in new ways.’

Public and screening programmes

M+ will present a series of public programmes related to the exhibition, including the public talk The Art of Fashion: In Conversation with Guo Pei, Ikko Yokoyama, and Desiree Au on Saturday, 21 September 2024. There will also be guided tours, workshops, and community and access programmes to engage the public. In response to the exhibition, the October 2024 edition of M+ at Night, with the theme Couture Rhapsody, will showcase a special line-up of music performances, creative workshops, tours, and conversations.

M+ will host four screenings of Yellow Is Forbidden (2018), directed by Pietra Brettkelly, at M+ Cinema on Saturday, 21 September; Sunday, 22 September; Sunday, 20 October; and Sunday, 15 December 2024. Yellow Is Forbidden chronicles Guo’s remarkable journey as she navigates the exclusive and predominantly Western world of haute couture. The documentary follows Guo as she prepares for her highly anticipated spring 2017 haute couture show at the historic Conciergerie during Paris Haute Couture Week. Viewers are given an intimate look at the meticulous work of Guo and her team and her personal challenges as she brings her spectacular vision to life.

Exhibition merchandise

Coinciding with the opening of the exhibition, M+ has published Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination, a book featuring stunning photographic reproductions of the couture artist’s iconic dresses featured in the show alongside design drawings and an interview with Guo about her life and creative practice. M+ Shop is also launching a series of merchandise inspired by the fascinating patterns of Guo’s designs, including tote bags, pouches, fabric fans, magnets, bookmarks, file folders, and more. For product highlights, please refer to the image sheet.

Ticketing arrangements

Tickets to the Special Exhibition are available for online purchase via the M+ website, WestK District website, WestK App, Cityline, China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited, Klook, KKday, and Trip.com. The Special Exhibition ticket is priced at HKD 160 for adults and HKD 80 for visitors eligible for concessions*. Visitors with Special Exhibition tickets can access Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination and all M+ General Admission exhibitions starting from Saturday, 21 September 2024. For more information on ticketing arrangements, please visit the M+ website.

I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture, another Special Exhibition, is on display in the West Gallery until 5 January 2025. Bundle tickets for Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination and I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture are priced at HKD 240 for adults and HKD 120 for visitors eligible for concessions*, allowing visitors to visit both Special Exhibitions on the same day, in addition to all General Admission exhibitions.

*Concession tickets are available for full-time students, children ages 7 to 11, senior citizens ages 60 and above, persons with disabilities and one companion, and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients. ­­

M+ Membership

M+’s annual membership and patron membership offer an exclusive experience of contemporary visual culture for people of all ages and backgrounds. All M+ Members with valid memberships can enjoy three free admission vouchers to Special Exhibitions throughout the membership year, including Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination and I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture. Meanwhile, M+ Patrons can enjoy unlimited free admission to all exhibitions with up to three guests per visit. M+ Members and Patrons can also enjoy exclusive previews to Special Exhibitions prior to public opening and thirty to fifty per cent discounts on Special Exhibition tickets. Other membership benefits include unlimited free access to General Admission exhibitions, exclusive access to the M+ Lounge, M+ Private Viewing, invitation to exclusive events, as well as dining and retail discounts. For more information, please visit the M+ website.

Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination is generously supported by Lead Sponsor HSBC and Travel Partner Cathay.

About Guo Pei

Guo Pei (Chinese, born 1967) is a visionary creator whose haute couture designs changed the landscape and status of Chinese fashion. She is among the country’s first generation of fashion designers in the reform and opening era. Her career began when she graduated from the Beijing Industry and Trade Technician College in 1986. In 1997, she founded Rose Studio in Beijing, China’s first couture studio and bespoke fashion house. Her Paris office opened in 2015, and starting in 2016, Guo was invited to deliver ten couture shows for Paris Haute Couture Week in five consecutive years.

In 2015, two of Guo’s designs were showcased in the exhibition China: Through the Looking Glass at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. At the Met Gala in 2015, the singer Rihanna wore The Yellow Queen from the 1002 Nights collection, which earned widespread acclaim. In the same year, Guo was invited to join the prestigious Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.

Apart from her haute couture work, Guo’s illustrious career also includes designing outfits for the awards ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and costumes for hosts and performers at the annual CCTV New Year’s Gala for many years. She has made bespoke garments and wedding dresses for numerous high-profile clients, often interpreting traditional elements as she pioneers the aesthetics of contemporary Asian dress.

About M+

M+ is a museum dedicated to collecting, exhibiting, and interpreting visual art, design and architecture, moving image, and Hong Kong visual culture of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK), it is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary visual culture in the world, with a bold ambition to establish ourselves as one of the world’s leading cultural institutions. M+ is a new kind of museum that reflects our unique time and place, a museum that builds on Hong Kong’s historic balance of the local and the international to define a distinctive and innovative voice for Asia’s twenty-first century.