Look 1 from Guo Pei’s spring/summer 2016 Courtyard Collection PHOTO COURTESY OF SCAD
The dazzling designs of Chinese couturier Guo Pei return to Santa Ana’s Bowers Museum (bowers.org) for a brand-new exhibit debuting Nov. 12.
While world-renowned Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei has displayed her enchanting dresses at Santa Ana’s Bowers Museum twice before, the third installment of her wearable art may be her best showing yet. Enter Guo Pei: Art of Couture, an exhibit featuring more than 40 posh pieces, highlighted by the North American debut of Pei’s bespoke Chinese bridal collection.
The unveiling of Pei’s latest showcase—running Nov. 12 through May 14, 2023—follows Guo Pei: Couture Fantasy at San Francisco’s Legion of Honor Museum, which opened in April and will come to a close Nov. 27. Th e Bowers showcase stands as a milestone for Pei, who hand-selected astounding gowns from throughout her more than 20-year career to spotlight, each of which contrasts beauty and femininity with empowerment and intellectual design. It’s no wonder nine-time Grammy Award winner Rihanna chose Pei’s Empress gown from her 2010 runway collection to grace the Met Gala red carpet in 2015. Th e jaw-dropping design, which weighs roughly 55 pounds and comes equipped with a 16-foot train, was the event’s most talked about ensemble, and further solidified Pei’s place in the fashion history books. (Th e following year, she was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People.)
Curated by Georgia’s SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film and SCAD: Th e University for Creative Careers, the whimsical exhibit was made possible by significant support from Dr. Frank Cintamani on behalf of Pei and the Asian Couture Federation. Bowers members will gain early access to the world of fashion and fantasy Nov. 11, while the museum’s annual gala will pay homage to Pei and her creative genius Dec. 1. How’s that for putting on the glitz?
Photography by:
