Welcome to Shanghai Pattern!
The enduring strength of Chinese traditional design gives me confidence to add a splash of something contemporary. It's my design philosophy and I hope you will find it works with lanterns, material and the selection of clothes we offer at Shanghai Pattern.
My ideas have long been on display at Suzhou Cobblers, my boutique for slippers, shoes, handbags, hats and scarves. The new -- and nearby -- Shanghai Pattern boutique extends that style in some new directions.
(OK, the truth is, I have simply run out of room for new expressions at Suzhou Cobblers! The new place is tiny too, and nearly next door to the original shop at the Shanghai Bund.)
As you climb the steps to Pattern, what I hope you will notice first is my ceiling decorated with Chinese lanterns -- colorful silk shaped into plump fishes, each with a light burning bright inside.
And inside, I am proud of my rolls of printed cotton material designs. Also, you will recognize my mix of old and new China on the pictograms showing everyday Chinese life on my line of shirts.
The lanterns are my pride.
The Lantern King (pictured) added his own snap to the ancient tradition. In fact, he was reputed to be the first designer in China to use wire as the frame, instead of bamboo. Around festival time each autumn, the Lantern King twisted the frames and glued paper to produce brilliant fish, birds, tigers and even snakes one year.
With my line of lanterns, I have borrowed directly from those traditions. The Lantern King himself lived to 97 years old -- and his craft lives on through his grandson and a number of his pupils. These are the experts who are helping bring my designs to life, so the lanterns aren't only uniquely Chinese, they represent a continuation of the Lantern King's work.
Please stop into Shanghai Pattern for a peek.
Denise