Couture Queen

Tatler meets Guo Pei, China’s most illustrious couturier, at her atelier in Beijing; in September this year, a showcase of her early designs and most significant collections will go on show at M+ in Hong Kong

- Riddick Chen

Guo Pei is a woman of many superlatives: she is the first and only Chinese designer to become a guest member of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, the official body that recognises haute couturiers. She is known for embroidering her name and completion date on her clothes and prides herself as the only designer in the world who does the latter; clothing, says Guo, is not just a transient fashion item but a living thing that deserves to be given a “date of birth”. And of course, there’s her “Yellow Empress” dress, worn by Rihanna at the 2015 Met Gala, which propelled the couturier to international stardom.

At her atelier, Rose Studio, in her native Beijing, she talks to Tatler about transcending trends, recalls the story behind her most expensive piece, sold in auction in 2019—and reveals why she wears Issey Miyake instead of her own designs.

Who are you inspired by?

My father is a retired soldier and my mother is an educator [also retired]. My mother received a ton of medals and honours for her performance at work. She has a very serious eye disease and is almost blind, but she persevered, up until the day she retired. I think of her as a strong woman who never let herself be underestimated by others, who would never rest easy without making a contribution, and who couldn’t live an existence without adding value.

Speaking of value, what’s your most expensive piece?