Journalists attend a press briefing held at Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing on Monday. Photo: Courtesy of Prince Gong's Mansion

Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing announced on Monday that the Prince Gong's Mansion fashion show will launch in Paris on September 27, with the goal of promoting exchanges and cooperation between China and France.   

Built as the private residence of He Shen, a grand secretary of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Prince Gong's Mansion is one of the largest and best-preserved royal mansions. 

In 1851, Yixin, or Prince Gong, moved in, giving the mansion its current name. With intricately painted woodwork, green glazed tiles, lakes, and artificial hills, the mansion is considered one of the finest examples of ancient Chinese architecture.

2023 marks the 59th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. 

 About 35 high-end garments co-designed by Prince Gong's Mansion and the renowned international fashion designer Lawrence Xu will be showcased at the fashion show, which is being co-hosted by the mansion and the Paris Chinese Culture Center. 

The designs will combine western tailoring with traditional Chinese design elements, using exquisite Yunjin (also called Yun brocade, a traditional Chinese silk brocade) fabric supplemented by Miao and Suzhou embroidery techniques. 

Xu is renowned for his work on the red carpet, which mostly highlights Chinese traditional techniques and symbolism, while some of his pieces have been put on display at famous museums such as the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

"The Prince Gong's Mansion Fashion Show will open a dialogue between the East and the West, the classic and the modern. It allows the world to explore the open, diverse and characteristic image of China. Meanwhile, it leads to a new leaf of the cultural exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations between China and France," said Xu at a press briefing on Monday in Beijing.