SAVOIR-FAIRE: THE MASTERY OF CRAFT IN FASHION
We are not just celebrating fashion, but savoir-faire, the mastery of craft in fashion
I started collaborating with Carine in 2020 while making K11 Original Masters, our online webinar series, which we developed to showcase age old artisanship to the next generation of digital-savvy consumers, especially the millennials.
We found a very strong common mission and vision of revitalizing and preserving craftsmanship and thought it would be great if we could cross-pollinate and create an exhibition that showcases the importance of artisanship, while bridging the East and West together.
As a cultural leader, the purpose I gave to the exhibition is to bring to life fashion’s most extraordinary ideas and exemplary cases of craft, that inspire and delight people when it comes to the appreciation of beauty and craftsmanship. I think inspiring the next generation is key, because we really want to give them a chance to understand and be aware of all the artisanship and the history behind these works of art.
When it all comes together, the theme is skills, it’s craftsmanship. It’s also how the dialogue of these two worlds can converse, how they both cross-pollinate each other, how they create dialogues with each other.
Where Art...
... Meets Fashion
So after months of intense and hard work, we made it happen. We brought Asia's first international exhibition to Hong Kong at K11 MUSEA, the Silicon Valley of Culture.
We are showcasing some of the world’s greatest maisons, such as Chanel, Dior, Saint Laurent, Schiaparelli, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Viktor & Rolf, Richard Quinn, Tom Van Der Borght, Matty Bovan and many more.
"We are not just celebrating fashion, we are celebrating savoir-faire, the mastery of craft in fashion. We want to create a cultural movement that propagates the beauty of fashion, the art and the craftsmanship behind it"
Enjoy the exhibition room virtual tour and scroll down to go through and discover each room
DISCOVER THE EXHIBITION ROOMS
ATELIER TAILLEUR
The ateliers, found in all couture houses, are separated into tailleur - for all tailoring work - and flou – the workshops where softer garments are created. Atelier Tailleur, explored in a black Parisian salon, presents the many architectural forms of the “tailleur” – from the detailed crafting of Chanel’s tweed suit to deconstructed patterned iterations. Alongside this collection of tailoring pieces, rare objects from the K11 Craft & Guild Foundation adorn the décor as a nod to Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment.
EXTREME CRAFT
The concept of beauty has shifted across cultures and social ideals. Extreme Craft is dedicated to designers challenging beauty norms and pushing the boundaries of fashion conformity through sculptural creations and manipulation. It offers a unique opportunity to see fashion as the practice of the most extraordinary craft in a continuing evolution of the physical ideal −combining traditional couture savoir-faire with innovative and sustainable techniques.
TALES FROM THE RUNWAY
Breaking away from the traditional conception of a fairytale gown, these works of couture tell cross-genre stories - ranging from “Burtonian” visions to sci-fi novels - while the unique artifacts from the K11 Craft & Guild Foundation paint their very own fantasy. Tales From The Runway depicts the sense of striking vastness conveyed by the multiplicity of mirrors, emphasizing that creativity is limitless. According to Carine Roitfeld, this is what couture dreams are made of.