Love Affairs in Melbourne-Chapter 246 - 241: Antique Fabric

The master who taught Yan Yan, came from a Su Embroidery family.

Of course, this "family" was only in the sense of a family tree; having gone through the Republic and subsequent turmoil, the true lineage had long ceased to exist.

The family’s genealogy and history with Su Embroidery could be traced back at least to the Jiajing Period, with the family’s skills, having been passed down for 400 years, reaching their peak in the late Qing Dynasty.

Due to the turmoil, many "cultural relics and monuments" that could have showcased the family’s glory had been completely obliterated.

Barely preserved were a silk handkerchief from the Jiajing Period with double-sided embroidery and a quilt cover with simulation embroidery from the Late Qing Dynasty and Early Republic.

If the family history records were accurate, this silk handkerchief was the oldest double-sided embroidered item still existing in the world.

Not to mention still existing— even if those lost to history were to miraculously revive, it would still rank among the earliest pieces.

To call it a cultural relic is in no way an exaggeration.

The records of the simulation-embroidered quilt cover could be traced back to exact years due to its relatively recent age.

It was embroidered from 1908 until completion in 1913, during the transitional period between the Qing Dynasty and the Republic.

Influence from Western art during this era led to the emergence of simulation embroidery.

As the name suggests, simulation embroidery aimed to achieve a lifelike effect.

The only antique quilt cover left in the master’s house had been poorly preserved during turbulent times, with some flaws appearing at the edges.

However, the edges were not the focus of this quilt cover.

The highlight was an exquisitely embroidered Russian Blue Cat on a violet satin surface.

This flawed antique quilt cover was transformed by Yan Yan into an evening dress.

In this completed design, Yan Yan adhered to the principle of making the best use of every inch of the fabric.

The Russian Blue Cat embroidered on the back was featured on the hemline of the dress, becoming the focal point of the evening gown.

Walking, this vivid Russian Blue Cat almost felt like it could leap from the skirt into the arms of the person wearing the dress.

If we’re talking about the inheritance of craftsmanship, these so-called "Rare Treasures" from the Paris Workshop, reputed to have centuries of historical heritage, are arguably a bit overrated.

For instance, Vermont Embroidery Workshop, which Dior Haute Couture is particularly proud to have under its wing, was only established in 1956.

Chanel’s haute couture gained worldwide fame for acquiring multiple artisanal workshops.

Even the oldest among those acquired by Chanel, Lesage Embroidery Workshop, was only established in 1858.

Another embroidery workshop, Lanel, acquired by Chanel Haute Couture, dates back only to 1949.

Moreover, both workshops were acquired by Chanel after the new millennium.

Such brief histories pale in comparison to the more than two thousand years of Su Embroidery history, and even just the family tradition of the master spans four to five hundred years.

Speaking of embroidery craftsmanship, let these workshops try the "Yan Yan Family" master’s family secret technique of double-sided embroidery with three distinct variations.

Double-sided embroidery, where the two sides show different colors, patterns, and stitching techniques.

Speaking solely of the embroidered cat, the master’s skills and those who worked on the antique blue cat on the back might have a slight difference.

But the master’s "Divine Skill" could achieve a cat on the front and a dog on the back.

Starting from the Republic era, the great-grandma’s generation of the master began to apply the hereditary Su Embroidery skills to the fabric of Qipaos.

It can only be said that these Parisian embroidery workshops were established and developed due to haute couture and are specifically commercial workshops within the haute couture circle, while the Su Embroidery master’s skills belong to the level of intangible cultural heritage.

Such craftsmanship, if only used on her family’s Qipao and only known to the people of China, would definitely be a waste of heavenly resources.

Before Yan Ling dragged her to France, Yan Yan’s pattern master indeed lacked an "international perspective."

After being lured to Paris for a tour, the master’s thoughts had undergone significant changes.

Her daughter was even more influenced to choose to stay in Paris and work with the Yan siblings to bring Chinese embroidery to the world stage.

If not for that, the master’s family heirloom face fabric would not have ended up in Yan Yan’s hands.

The design draft for the antique evening dress underwent several revisions, each stitch personally crafted by the master.

The Russian Blue Cat embroidered on the face fabric was done in a one-to-one scale.

This evening gown, even while still in fabric form, had been displayed by Allegro to a Russian nouveau riche.

Allegro’s marketing was extremely precise; this nouveau riche was not only a "rich customer" of the Paris Haute Couture Club but also owned a Russian Blue Cat.

Yan Yan’s first show was in 2013, and the antique fabric was embroidered in the year 1913, exactly one hundred years ago.

Speaking of antique fabrics, no brand had antiques like Yan Yan’s, and as for craftsmanship, finding someone who could bring embroidery to life was rare.

Furthermore, the Russian Blue Cat was an irresistible reason for the Russian nouveau riche to make a purchase.

Because of the uniqueness of the antique fabric, this evening gown was directly preordered by this "rich customer," with measurements taken and a mannequin created, all exclusively customized.

This single piece of clothing sold for 3 million euros, instantly recouping all the money Yan Yan and Allegro had spent last season in Paris.

Following this nouveau riche’s lead, many people from the Haute Couture Club came asking if they could commission private custom embroidery designs, wanting the master to embroider their pets on customized garments in a one-to-one ratio.

The biggest drawback of pure handcrafting is the time it takes, especially when top-tier skills are held by only a few people.

No matter how many orders you have, they are useless if you can’t produce them.

And a one-to-one ratio was even less feasible.

The time it took to embroider the Russian Blue Cat on the antique fabric was simply incalculable.

If it were just a cat, it would still be okay, but if a customer wanted a large dog embroidered, it definitely wouldn’t be realistically represented on clothing.

Yan Yan’s shows were not open to the media, initially out of helplessness.

For haute couture, there is a requirement on how many garments must be shown each season.

But not every piece can be shown, such as the unique evening gown already purchased by the Russian nouveau riche, which depended on whether the buyer was willing to allow it on the runway.

Yan Yan couldn’t design so many garments in such a short time that could easily meet the show’s quantity requirements and then have enough surplus to let haute couture customers decide if a sold garment could enter the show.

The Russian nouveau riche stated that her garments could be shown, but not in the presence of the media.

Without this centerpiece, Yan Yan’s debut show would have been meaningless.

When the Russian noblewoman made this request, Yan Yan only had that single order.

Yet Yan Yan agreed without hesitation.

She neither invited the media nor the buyers.

At Yan Yan’s show, the only attendees were the true buyers and...

their pets.