Fashion & Style: Preserving Chinese Tradition

Dragons and Mao figure heavily in the work of her countrymen, but Jiang Qiong Er believes that authentic Chinese design shouldn\'t require such ostentation.

\'We want to go deeper,\' she says.

The 35-year-old designer grew up grounded in the classics. Her grandfather was a noted painter, her father the architect behind the Shanghai Museum. As a child, she learned painting and calligraphy from renowned artists like Cheng Shifa and Han Tianheng. Upon her return from Paris, where she studied at the école Nationale Sup嗷rieure des Arts D嗷coratifs, she worked as an artist and designer, partnering with the likes of Forevermark and Herm s.

It was the latter collaboration that gave birth to Shang Xia (Mandarin for \'Up Down\'), the Chinese luxury label created in 2008 between Ms. Jiang and the French fashion house. Though Shang Xia is sometimes described as Herm s\'s Chinese line, Ms. Jiang says that she is the \'capital\' of what Shang Xia\'s collections look like and that her management and design teams, which are largely made up of Chinese nationals educated in the West, are run completely independent of Herm s.

Shang Xia sells some clothing but is best known for its artisanal housewares, which include Indian sandalwood tables and porcelain teacups wrapped in bamboo. It sells them at its Shanghai boutique, which will be joined by one in Paris later this year.

Over pu\'er tea, Ms. Jiang spoke to The Wall Street Journal about studying calligraphy, Shang Xia\'s expansion plans and why China needs to follow its economic growth with cultural \'surprises.\' Below are edited excerpts from the interview.

The Wall Street Journal: How did your upbringing in a family of artists influence you?

Ms. Jiang: A child is like blank paper, so the influence was subtle, like water that flows and influences. I was immersed in art. I drew, did calligraphy and watched them create art. They were all free spirits, pursuing art and not focused on money and fame.

My brother and I were [Messrs. Cheng\'s and Han\'s] youngest students. At the age of 6, I did not understand, but when I look back, I realized they were masters who did not just teach technique but also human values such as that art is a reflection of character.

What did you learn from studying in Paris?

It opened my mind. I learned that one plus one is not 100, because unlike math, art is not objective. Before, I was very influenced by Chinese tradition, having studied guo hua [Chinese art] from a young age. Chinese education is heavy on copying words repetitively, so changing the system gives you more freedom.

Why did you create Shang Xia?

A lot of Chinese tradition and craft is being lost, and if we don\'t find a contemporary way to preserve it, it will disappear. Our craftsmen are all in their 50s, and their kids don\'t want to learn. If young people here have no interest or desire, it will disappear. We want to give value to the knowledge so maybe their kids will learn in five years\' time. In the past 30 years, China\'s economic growth has stunned the world. In the next 30 to 50 years, we have to surprise culturally.

How do you work with Herm s?

I met with [artistic director] Pierre-Alexis Dumas and [CEO] Patrick Thomas. We spent three hours and found that we share some values and dreams. It is like a man dating a woman伟you can tell over dinner that you want to do something together.

But we are very independent. Shang Xia is a Chinese project, so everything from creative to management must be based in Chinese culture. It is a Chinese team, and you cannot impose Herm s on Shang Xia. The biggest difference is cultural roots. They use French tradition and drink coffee while we drink tea.

China\'s luxury market has been dominated by Western labels. Do you think that will change?

In the past three to five years, wealthy Chinese bought everything from Western luxury brands. Now they want a bit of their heritage and are asking, \'What did the emperor drink in the past?\'

When life is good and people are full, they have time to look out for quality. This is a special new era for China and a special point for us. A lot of young people may not be able to afford us, but they can see our works and be proud of Chinese culture.

You are opening a new boutique in Paris. Why?

Shang Xia represents Eastern philosophy and movement, and we want to push Eastern artistic ethos. But Chinese culture isn\'t just geographically Chinese. It can be shared internationally. We are a good window to let more people experience Chinese craft, quality, design. We chose Paris because Shanghai and Paris are its parents, and we want Shang Xia to be in its parents\' embrace.

What\'s next for you?

We have many dreams, but one day, we\'d love to do a craftsman school. Learning art in a brightly lit room is very different. I also hope that we will open a store in Beijing. It is very important because it is China\'s cultural and political center, but we are not in a hurry.