PARIS, In Bloom

Cheney Chan calls his corsets introverts’. Akshaya Pillai explores the stories and symbols that shape his groundbreaking couture

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Stone bridges, bustling street markets, lantern-lit pathways and a languid canal are some of the images that pop up when I google Jiangsu, the quaint little province where Cheney Chan grew up. Chan takes me on a trip down memory lane where we meet his grandfather who was once the director of a small cultural centre. This is where Chen learnt to appreciate art. “I don’t remember admiring clothes, it was always art. I didn’t even pick out my own clothes back then. It was my mum who shopped for me well into my teens.” says the designer fondly, reminiscing the twists that steered him into a career in fashion. “My family wanted me to be a pilot, in the army!” Chan established his brand in 2012, seamlessly blending classical Chinese elements that he had grown to love as a child into beautiful, contemporary designs. In June this year, he presented his latest collection, 'Dream in Bloom', on the Paris Haute Couture Fall/ Winter 2024 runway. The collection was inspired by 12 characteristics from classical Chinese stories. Chan wielded flowers like a painter’s brush to portray the aspirations of these women with different personalities.