Zhang Zhifeng: The Historical Feelings Of A "Artisan"

- dialogue NE TIGER brand founder and art director Zhang Zhifeng

Beijing time October 25, 2014 at 5 p.m., NE. TIGER2015 spring and summer high customization custom dress show in Beijing Hotel Golden Hall as scheduled. This is the opening ceremony of China International Fashion Week in NE TIGER fourteenth. This season, NE TIGER, with "Ming Li" as its theme, yellow brick paved on the show floor, and the Yellow Emperor's image is standing up. The rich Chinese Style Men's suit and Chinese wedding dress have brought us a visual feast. After the show, Mr. Zhang Zhifeng, the founder of the brand and art director, received an exclusive interview with the JINGWAH times to tell us about his dedication and love for fashion and history.

Reporter: why do we choose the theme of "Ming Li"?

Zhang Zhifeng: what is etiquette? In my opinion, ritual is civilization, and the two emperors of the Yellow Emperor and Huang dresses their clothes and the rule of the whole world is the beginning of Chinese civilization. Clothing is always the most direct carrier of a civilization and etiquette. China is an ancient civilization with 5000 years of traditional culture, and the Ming Dynasty is the last peak of the development of ancient Chinese clothing. At that time, even men could be allowed to wear nine products and women to wear a phoenix crown. This has also provided the most fertile soil for the unprecedented development of the garment industry.

Interviewer: How did you incorporate the features of the Ming Dynasty into this season?

Zhang Zhifeng: the Ming Dynasty was the best Dynasty in which the two colors of red and yellow were used in ancient Chinese dynasties. So in this season's design, you can see many red dress with gold embroidery. And their elements such as Xia, standing collar, wide sleeves, upper and lower skirts and simplified pleated skirts and Phoenix Tail skirts are all distinctive features of Ming costumes. Focusing on restoring the external characteristics of Daming costumes, we also focus on the repetition of traditional handicrafts. Such as silk, brocade, embroidery and other techniques, especially in this season, we have used a lot of Pan embroidery to make the traditional skills to the utmost.

Reporter: from "Tang boundary" to "Ming Li" NE? TIGER has made four successive dynasties. Will your Dynasty Series continue to do so?

Zhang Zhifeng: of course. After that, we plan to do the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, and then go back to the early days of Chinese civilization to study the dress culture and history of Zhou, Han, Jin, southern and Northern Dynasties. After finishing all the dynasties, we should consider enlarging a part to make it more refined and finer. For example, the northern and Southern Dynasties, which is the most free time in China, can give me a great variety of inspiration. Our rich history and culture will bring us endless inspiration and never finish the day.

Interviewer: Why are you so persistent in history?

Zhang Zhifeng: our history is rich and precious. It nourishes all of us. But in modern times, we know little about many of our history. As the first luxury brand in China, NE TIGER has always shouldered the responsibility of inheriting and guarding history. Whether it is to spanmit history to posterity or to spread the beauty of China to the west, this is what NE TIGER has been trying to do for more than thirty years. For example, the layout of this show is that we specially went to Huangling County, the birthplace of Chinese culture, to take the local loess and make yellow brick with traditional handicraft. It symbolizes the ancient Chinese culture and still nourishes thousands of Chinese descendants. And our clothes, carrying the weight of history, become a bridge of culture.

Reporter: but in traditional Chinese dress culture, there are many taboos that impede its development. Will this not create obstacles for your creation?

Zhang Zhifeng: everything has two sides. People will live and die, but they can also have youthful youthful spirits. People who are good-looking have dead ends. There are floats in clean places. You have to admit that they exist, but they can't stare at it. In my eyes, I can only see good content. I only focus on creating beauty and spreading culture. I will never pay attention to other contents, so what obstacles do I have?

Reporter: but in your design, a lot of western style tailoring is used. Why?

Zhang Zhifeng: the revival of Chinese traditional culture is not to restore the old, repeat, or restore one hundred percent. The real revival is to pass on the culture. For this purpose, it must intermingle with the present culture. Although our history is very proud, it does not mean that we must exclude and keep away from all foreign content. On the contrary, the traditional culture of the Chinese nation has always had strong absorption and integration ability to foreign cultures. It is the best policy to combine Chinese aesthetic with western style tailoring.

Reporter's note: in the interview, Zhang Zhifeng mentioned the most sentence: "if you understand history." When he mentioned that the order of the brand has been lined up until next May, and more than 70% of the guests are foreign royalty and aristocrats, you will think that he is merely presenting an ordinary event. And when he brings up history and clothing culture, the flash of light in his eyes will make people forget his businessman's identity. Perhaps this is why NE TIGER wants to be the guardian and inheritor of Chinese costume culture. Because the heart of the traditional Chinese culture has never changed for more than thirty years, NE TIGER has become a cultural guardian who is different from the industrialized commercial clothing brand. In the design of Zhang Zhifeng and in embroidery needlework, it has been painted for five thousand years and woven into a splendid China without fault.