Museum further builds presence on Tmall flagship store, while also collaborating with fashion designer, Ji Cheng.
V&A Museum has begun the Chinese Year of the Ox by further increasing its presence across China.
The museum marked the New Year in February by working with Alfilo Brands to create a Hongbao – a red envelope traditionally filled with money and given as a good luck gift around the Lunar New Year, and a red Ox charm string bracelet worn for good fortune.
The bright red envelopes and bracelets were adapted from an animal-themed nursery fabric, produced by textile manufacturers William Foxton in 1928.
Throughout 2020, V&A launched over 120 new products with Alfilo, building a strong product offering on its online Tmall flagship store.
New products include glamorous scent diffusers which have become popular sellers. The designs are based on George Barbier’s fashion plates from the 1925 Seven Deadly Sins series, which appeared in the French fashion periodical, Falbalas & Fanfreluches.
The museum’s Scottie Dog range also continues to grow and includes keyrings, jewellery, glassware and fluffy embroidered bags. The dog is from a series of Christmas cards from the Buday Collection. Throughout history, Scotties appeared regularly in the public eye, the small dog with a big personality featured on biscuit tins, whisky bottles, greeting cards and as a key piece on the Monopoly board.
In addition, V&A is collaborating with fashion designer Ji Cheng to launch their first range together featuring a series of artworks from the museum’s archive of botanical illustration, which have been translated across sweatshirts, skirts and blouses.
Ji Cheng is known for her iconic 3D ‘wings’ embroidered sweatshirts and the V&A inspired design features intricately printed patterns from the archive adorned across the front.
Inspired by a diverse range of plants and leaf shapes, Ji Cheng applied a design notion of ‘warm and sophisticated pragmatism’ to create an uplifting collection that brings a luxurious edge to a casual look. The printed and painted collection of flowers chosen by Ji Cheng spans 16th century floral watercolours, 19th century ‘Phytoglyphy’ and orchid studies by the Victorian artist, Samuel Holden.
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