Destination: Futuretown
Raphael le Masne de Chermont, executive chairman of Shanghai Tang, opens up to Jolene Khor about his ode to the Orient and how it fits in with the brand’s contemporary current
When swiss luxury conglomerate richemont bought Shanghai Tang from David Tang in 1998 just four years after it opened its doors, many feared the Hong Kong-based clothier would lose its vibrant oriental identity. After all, it fashioned its good name on impeccably tailored cheongsams and modern Mandarin collared jackets, an aesthetic not immediately associated with the Western world. In came Raphael le Masne de Chermont, whom after living and working for 10 years in Hong Kong, was appointed to executive chairmanship of the brand. There were no in-house designers then. He got some. A sustainable marketing strategy was not present. It is now.
“We had a modern vision of China and we were the first ones to say that China has a fantastic culture, strong DNA and a 5,000-year-old history that can be built upon,” says the Frenchman. “China was a different world then. It wasn’t open to business, nor was the culture highly respected elsewhere.”
Fast forward to 2016. The man credited for the metamorphosis of the fashion and lifestyle brand has just released its spring/summer collection. His team of 15 designers continues to marry its roots of Eastern charm and a minimal Western appeal. “The fusion of Chinese style and an international outlook” has been the phrase reverberated to the press over the years. As a result, a younger crowd is making its way to all of the 48 Shanghai Tang stores in Asia, Europe and the US. The way de Chermont sees it, he’s just getting started.
How has Shanghai Tang evolved?
Our first shop in Hong Kong was a tailoring shop, where we did bespoke qipaos.
By 2000, our clothes were beautiful but not necessarily relevant unless it was Chinese New Year. As we grow further, we are aware of keeping the roots intact to ensure that the legacy will always be conveyed. Slowly, we went from a nostalgic brand to one that embraces modern tradition. The last thing we want is for Shanghai Tang to be a souvenir shop. Therefore, we have to make sure what we make is relevant, wearable and contemporary chic. We’ve been able to take China’s know-how on traditional tailoring, embroidery, as well as its modern art, and compound them in our designs. Since I joined the company, the average age of customers have gone down by 15 years. Our demographic is now women and men aged 25 to 45.
Are there fears of losing the Shanghai Tang identity?
On the contrary. We use very good silk and cashmere from Mongolia and we still celebrate Chinese culture in a colourful way. The Chinese have been doing embroidery for hundreds of years and handmade embroidery on a beautiful dress with a contemporary cutting adds value to the nostalgia. They complement each other and it’s been copied by other nations. It’s become a real cultural proposition for the market.
Any upcoming surprises?
Aside from the book we are launching in celebration of our first 20 years, I have been working on something exciting that will be coming in a year or so. I cannot share more with you now, but it’s going to be a game changer.