Renovation of shikumen neighborhood marked on first anniversary of reopening
Expressing cultural essence through fashion, a century-spanning journey that bridges Chinese and Western cultures set the stage for the first anniversary of the reopening of Zhang Yuan, or Zhang's Garden, one of Shanghai's best-preserved shikumen (stone-gate) neighborhoods in the city center.
With the theme "Deep Roots and Luxuriant Leaves, Century-old Zhang Yuan Renewed," the celebration marks the launch of the revitalized shikumen block in collaboration with WWD, a fashion industry media.
Over the past 100 years, Zhang Yuan has always been deeply rooted in the rich soil of Shanghai's cultural heritage, while also embracing global civilization and international fashion, showcasing its distinctive allure.
In the year 2022, following four years of meticulous protective restoration, the West Zone became the first section open to the public. Leveraging its abundant historical heritage as the renowned "No.1 Garden in Shanghai," Zhang Yuan has expanded its experiential commercial and multi-cultural spaces.
This expansion, built upon the preservation of centuries-old architecture, serves to reveal its unique and captivating charm to the world.
During the anniversary, the century-old stone-gate neighborhood, in collaboration with WWD, launched the "Root and Leaves Fashion and Culture Week" through December 7, where traditional Shanghai culture converges with contemporary fashion trends.
On the opening day last Saturday, a fashion show by Chinese young designers staged on the nearby Maoming Road N., a part-time pedestrian street. With the theme "She Power," the show presented fashions featuring both strength and flexibility, and reproduced the grand occasion of the women's conference held in Zhang Yuan in 1897 for women's rights.
It was also the first true fashion show since the road's renovation into a pedestrian street, allowing people to walk there freely at designated times.
The exhibition also explores the roots of global fashion culture and showcases pivotal moments through classic images over the past century. Twelve young designers, each representing a unique form of innovation and style, drew on centuries-old fashion wisdom to interpret contemporary fashion through cultural consensus reshaping and social consciousness transformation.
