At sunset against the misty skies of Shanghai, Chloé presented its Resort 2020 collection on the rooftop of the Long Museum overlooking the city’s famous Bund. This was the first time the Maison had hosted a show outside of France and the first Chloé cruise collection to debut on a runway. For such a great leap, creative director Natacha Ramsay-Levi spent over six months immersing herself in Chinese cinema, studying and shaping her vision of China’s subtle allure through the lens of film greats.

Ramsay-Levi was largely inspired by the works of Jia Zhangke, Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Zhang Yimou, Bi Gan and Lou Ti, whose cinematography formed the basis of the collection moodboard, and whose films featured strong leading women like Gong Li, Zhao Tao, and Shu Qi (who was sitting front row at the show).

The collection’s references to Chinese culture ranged from the delicate nuances of chrysanthemum flower prints to the more poignant plays on the qipao and Zhongshan suit. Earthy khaki hues flitted through textiles both structured and fluid, interrupted by intricate jacquard prints and bursts of xiqing hong 喜慶紅 (festive red). There was an orange quilted jacket reminiscent of the padded mianaos worn during winter, while silk pyjama suits called on balmy Shanghai summers. More impressions of Shanghai romanticism were seen in the flowing maxi dresses, sheer layered silhouettes, and dangling earrings with tortoiseshell glasses. But there was indeed something for everyone: ruffled collars for the Belle Epoques, chokers for the goth-chic youth, and silk scarves and C bags galore for the ultimate Chloé girls.