China Fashion Gala 2020
The China Fashion Gala — another event gone virtual in 2020 due to the global pandemic — was originally scheduled for the evening of April 29, then pushed back to July 23. In the state of New York, gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited, so big events have either been canceled or gone virtual. If you recall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art Gala — “fashion’s biggest night out,” held in the city every first Monday in May — was canceled indefinitely due to COVID-19. This event is for celebrities/A-listers with jaw-dropping looks on the red carpet and a themed exhibit at The Met itself. It’s no wonder The Costume Institute didn’t go the virtual route, which would not have done the event justice.
However, for the China Fashion Gala, the show must go on! Although it wasn’t as entertaining to see other guests dressed to the nines (or not) via Zoom instead of in person, the event was beautifully done and enjoyed in the comfort of our homes. Before we go into the highlights of the evening, here’s some background about the China Fashion Gala and its purpose.
In its fifth year hosted by the China Institute and China Beauty Charity Fund (CBCF), the China Fashion Gala is an annual celebration of Chinese design. The event is a platform for China’s emerging talent in the international arena, as well as a forum for recognizing individuals whose contributions have helped position China at the forefront of global fashion and beauty.
The China Institute has been around since 1926 to help foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of China through programs in art, culture, education and business.
CBCF was founded in 2011 by the Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation, one of the most important and trusted charitable foundations in China, to honor Yue-Sai Kan. Once named the most famous woman in China by People Magazine, Yue-Sai Kan is a television host, producer, fashion icon, best-selling author, and humanitarian. Some of the areas the CBCF supports are: TV/film production, charitable projects for women and children (e.g., the Shanghai Soong Qing Ling Foundation's Safety for Mother and Child Program), as well as charitable activities of Miss Universe China.
The theme of this year’s gala was “One World in Beauty,” with a purpose to “connect the people of China and people of the U.S. in a human way.” I can only speak for myself, but this mission was accomplished in my mind, as I walked away from the event with a greater appreciation for China’s culture and influence. In addition to connecting two cultures, an online silent auction held via 32auctions.com raised $600,000 between July 23-30.
Event Highlights
The evening began with a VIP/press reception via Zoom, with guests divided into multiple VIP cocktail rooms to chat with fellow guests. Along with several others, I was in the same room with fashion designer Jason Wu and one of the honorees of the night, Wendy Yu. At the end, we all toasted to a wonderful evening!
The actual gala, which took place after the VIP/press reception, was formatted like a webinar, where guests were unable to see one another. Compliments to the Quincy Jones Production for such a beautiful musical opening. The gala kicked off with Kenny G performing one of the most famous Chinese folk songs, “Mo Li Hua,” or translated in English, Jasmine Flower, followed by a special dance of the Thousand Hand Bodhisattva performed by the China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupes. I was blown away by the precision of the performers, who are all deaf and learned the choreography through sign language.
Following these performances was a montage of the honorees receiving their awards and special guests congratulating them with kind words. Special guests included Christian Louboutin, Guo Pei, Grace Chen, Bette Midler, and Karolína Kurková, to name a few.
Honorees
Here are the honorees of this year’s gala: Estée Lauder, Wendy Yu, Phillip Lim and Lucy Liu, pictured below receiving their award.
Estée Lauder: Stéphane de La Faverie, Group President of Estée Lauder Companies, accepted the Beauty Award on behalf of the company. Estée Lauder has been present in China since the early ‘90s, particularly investing in research and development to develop products for China.
Wendy Yu: The recipient of the Millennial Leadership Award was presented by her friend Jason Wu. Well-loved by many, Yu received congratulations from British Academy of Film and Television Arts, designers and artists. Not only is she an entrepreneur, but also a millennial investor, philanthropist and Curator in Charge at The Met’s Costume Institute.
Phillip Lim: The recipient of the Leadership Award was presented by Lisa Ling.
As a successful fashion designer with his 14-year-old luxury brand of which is his namesake, Phillip Lim loves to design, but wants to do it with more consciousness — “to live life in balance,” he said.
Lucy Liu: The recipient of the Icon Award was presented by Yue-Sai Kan. As an actress and director, Liu broke racial barriers in Hollywood for the Asian community. Her advice? “Long journey, ask a lot of questions. Go with what you feel.”
The last event of the evening was a fashion show by Chinese couture designer Xiong Ying, showcasing her designs under the label Heaven Gaia. Ying found her inspiration for these designs from Buddhist caves in Dunhuang. The collection was refreshing, beautiful and ethereal.
I hope you enjoyed this coverage of the China Fashion Gala, virtually, as I did.
Maybe next year we can truly enjoy the new Roaring ‘20s where we dress to the nines and attend galas and events in person.
