Consideration was centered on Miley Cyrus' Gucci bamboo bag as she tried to provide an acceptance speech through the 66th Grammy Awards earlier this month.
Seems she didn't want it and as an alternative recited her thanks from reminiscence, however the televised second introduced new consideration to the enduring bag fashion, first launched in 1947 with a hand-curved bamboo deal with, and the bamboo component extra later woven into a spread of watches and perfumes launched in 2016 that perfume specialists deemed “good.”
Right this moment, Gucci's bamboo deal with bag is marketed as a premium and heroic providing beneath the route of artistic director Sabato De Sarno. In the US, the bag is out there by appointment solely and costs vary from $three,700 for a mini model just like the one seen on Cyrus, to $52,000 for a crocodile fashion.
Gucci Bamboo 1947 Mini Prime Deal with Bag. Akris wool double-faced coat and gown; Gucci sun shades; Esenshel felt hat; Wing & Weft leather-based gloves.
Chelsie Craig/World Water Day
Based on Pooky Lee, a Shanghai-based trend curator, trend objects made out of bamboo are gaining renewed relevance as customers more and more choose specialised handmade merchandise that require complicated craftsmanship abilities.
“New social and retail channels be certain that one thing as area of interest as this will additionally discover its goal clients, thus providing artists business safety to undertake the fabric. For instance, many bamboo equipment and objects I discovered are primarily promoted and offered on Xiaohongshu,” says Lee.
As with many artisanal creations, the worth of a trend merchandise made out of bamboo is set not by the price of the uncooked materials, however by the craftsmanship and cultural significance.
Bamboo is likely one of the most inexpensive supplies, particularly in China, since you may make something with it: a brush, a colander, a chair, and so on. On the identical time, a number of the most prized artistic endeavors are made with bamboo, which is commonly thought-about an emblem of energy and resilience. In 2016, a bamboo portray by Ming Dynasty painter Xia Chang offered for greater than $four.2 million at public sale.
Feng Chen Wang, Spring 2020
Courtesy of Feng Chen Wang
Designer Feng Chen Wang has built-in bamboo into the model's universe for 5 years, when she devoted a whole assortment to using bamboo in conventional Chinese language tradition. Right this moment, the bamboo vary is her most recognizable providing, alongside together with her profitable footwear partnership with Converse.
Wang, who grew up in Fujian, mentioned bamboo is all over the place. After making her “Made in China” spring 2018 assortment in New York, she labored to “make clear native craftsmanship and return it to the realm of luxurious,” she says.
“I labored with ladies from my hometown whose husbands labored in large cities to develop the manufacturing line from scratch. From one bag to producing a full vary of merchandise, we are actually pushing the boundaries of bamboo each season to create new shapes and new strategies,” says Wang.
Feng Chen Wang's bamboo bag marketing campaign.
Courtesy of Feng Chen Wang
“Bamboo is a really sustainable materials as it’s not a tree, it’s a type of tree-like grass. That’s the reason it grows in a short time and may regenerate in a short time. On the identical time, there’s a non secular connection between me and what bamboo represents. It’s a image of inclusion, perseverance and my Asian heritage. I imagine that by giving bamboo a brand new life with my creativity, I’m additionally giving my model a singular voice,” provides Wang, who built-in the making of Fujian purple clay teapots into his fall 2024 assortment proven in Paris.
Cementing the model's ubiquitous connection to bamboo, Wang unveiled a bamboo-themed pop-up at Shenzhen's common MixC World buying complicated final December. He’s additionally getting ready a documentary that explores his relationship with bamboo.
Feng Chen Wang Bamboo Pop-Up Home at Shenzhen MixC World.
Courtesy of Feng Chen Wang
Lee additionally famous that along with Gucci and Feng Chen Wang, Loewe has additionally honored bamboo, releasing quick documentary movies for its Chinese language New Yr marketing campaign in 2021 that includes artisans weaving bamboo in China.
The model's dedication to Chinese language tradition and craftsmanship, as seen in its most up-to-date venture involving three Chinese language grasp jade carvers, shall be additional showcased within the upcoming “Crafted World” immersive exhibition, scheduled to open for March 22 on the Shanghai Exhibition Heart.
A bamboo artisan stars in Loewe's 2021 documentary that pays tribute to bamboo weaving.
Courtesy of Loewe
However whether or not a fabric stays or disappears inside the luxurious area typically depends upon how it’s interpreted and introduced, Lee says.
“Supplies like bamboo typically face the issue of not having the ability to be mass produced, so their use could possibly be restricted by main manufacturers. By way of connecting with native shoppers, the case of the Loewe marketing campaign completely demonstrated the significance of the cultural narrative of bamboo amongst native clients,” he states.
Sean Wu's bamboo installations made out of recycled glass bottles.
Courtesy of Sean Wu
It’s also dedicated to connecting with Chinese language shoppers by means of LuisaViaRoma bamboo.
The Florentine e-tailer welcomed the Lunar New Yr with an immersive set up of bamboo sculptures in collaboration with Chinese language artist and stage designer Sean Wu inside its flagship retailer on By way of Roma.
Calling bamboo “a basic component” in his artistic journey, Wu says Chinese language consumers are naturally drawn to it attributable to their familiarity with Chinese language structure and furnishings design.
“My facility is deeply rooted within the perception that it signifies a harmonious fusion of heritage and innovation. Conventional supplies, equivalent to bamboo, present cultural richness and deep symbolism. When included into modern designs, these supplies not solely contribute to sustainable practices but additionally foster a connection between the previous and the current,” she says.