Above: Wang Peiyi says Chinese designers have to hold on and not give up. Right: Models at Palazzo della Ragione showcasing Wang's creations. Photos Provided to China Daily

Inspired by film, photography and the Aurora Borealis, Wang Peiyi's ambitions to create an elegant universal brand came a step closer at Milan Fashion Week

Wang Peiyi enchanted the audience at Milan Fashion Week with the mysterious, dark yet iridescent elegance of his creations on Feb 26. His show 'Hidden Aurora' marked the European debut of this very talented Beijing-based fashion designer who won the 2nd Mercedes-Benz China Young Fashion Award in 2012 and the Elle Style Award the previous year.

His collection, Wang Peiyi Fall-Winter 2013-2014, was inspired by the natural phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis in all of its beauty and unpredictable temperament.

On the catwalk at Palazzo della Ragione, Wang's models came out wearing clothes that were simple and varied in shape, including long dinner and cocktail dresses, knee skirts, long coats and cloaks. Dominated by black tones, the collection was subtly complemented by hints of cobalt blue and purple, with a sprinkling of metal and white accents; a cold color palette to encapsulate and evoke the wonders of the Northern Lights.

Just as the Aurora Borealis illuminates the heavens with ghostly patterns, the W.P. collection makes a prominent use of embellishments. Swarovski elements and pearls sparkle on a night sky background consisting of rich fabrics. Velvet, brocade and chiffon with conspicuous use of leather put together with intricacy, but in a controlled and convincing way.

I met Wang in the fitting room at Palazzo Clerici; later, we had lunch at the Trussardi Ristorante Alla Scala. Timid yet determined ("My rising sign is the Aries. I believe in the horoscope"), Wang founded his label in 2004, when he opened his design studio in Beijing.

He discovered the world of couture at 16. "I was attending high school when I decided I wanted to become a fashion designer," he says. "I was studying painting at that time, when I stumbled upon a series of fashion sketches drawn by some peers who were taking design classes. I was so fascinated by them that I soon switched to design. Subsequently, I pursued my studies at the Central Academy of Arts in Beijing. I fell in love with this tool of communication and I felt so motivated. I call it passion. I started to draw my own designs. But if I think about my first sketches now, I find them quite childish, really immature."

Who is the Wang Peiyi woman? "She is very feminine yet strong. She's got an inner force, and an evident male side as well. I want to deliver this concept through my clothes.

"My woman is sexy, but only in the noble meaning of the word. She is a kind of goddess. The Wang Peiyi woman is not the typical young girl, not even the chic woman. She is not an ordinary lady. I portray a refined and almost hidden, low-profile beauty with an inner glow." Wang finds a balance between two contradictory opposites melting together in unity and harmony, a kind metaphor for the yin-yang principle: yin the feminine, dark, receptive element and yang, the strong, male, creative power.

Wang has dressed many Chinese celebrities, including the actresses Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi, Fan Bingbing and Wu Pei Ci, who is a close friend.

Is there a European celebrity he would like to dress? "Monica Bellucci, without a doubt," he replies. "I saw her in the movie Malena, which was set in Sicily; really stunning. And from what I have seen, she is a strong and voluptuous Mediterranean woman. Earthy, I would say, but you feel from a distance that she emits a special aura."

Among Hollywood actresses? "Cate Blanchett. I love all of her movies. She is so ethereal.

"Bellucci and Blanchett are two opposite kinds of beauty, but they share something in common: that charisma, that personal magnetism. They are two different kinds of goddesses."

Wang often draws inspiration from art. "For instance, when I was in Barcelona, I wanted to see all of Antoni Gaudi's works. His architecture is so detailed. Observing his buildings helped me in the creation of my own designs."

Film, music and photography also get his creative juices flowing. His first male collection in 2010 was inspired by the film A Streetcar Named Desire, starring Marlon Brando. Wang was fascinated by the mood and the style of it.

How would he describe a man who wears Wang Peiyi? "Men should dress simply but with style. My target is wide: my line is not only for the professionals; it is for any man who cares about his looks.

"Actually, it coincides with my personal style. I must be able to wear it myself."

He shows me his black coat. "My own design: very simple, with quality."

Then he tries to define his male line: "It's not plain like water and not strong like whiskey. It has a more balanced and moderate flavor. It tastes like a good mild red wine. I always seek equilibrium in my clothes. Maybe it's because I was born under the sign of Libra."

His brand image is meant to be universal. He never purposely emphasizes Chinese elements in his designs. "Being Chinese is a born factor but as a designer I am a no-boundaries stylist.Therefore, if people feel a Chinese spirit in my work, I am glad, but that's not my goal. My aim is being an international designer: that's why I have come to Milan."

His design aesthetic is applied both to high couture and to ready to wear. "For me it's like writing music and mixing all of the notes together. I play with all of the elements: the silhouette, cut, colors, fabrics, patterns, details; I play with them in a different way every time and interpret them with my feelings. That's what gives uniqueness to my style. You either feel it or you don't."

In China, wedding dresses were his forte. When does he feel that a dress is a great dress? "It's very difficult to say because I am a perfectionist. Since each dress belongs to a person, the dress is finished when that person is stunned by the outcome," he says.

Returning to the topic of his new collection he says, "I had the chance of witnessing an aurora during my European travels. I was so lucky. It made me think about the unknowable future. I perceive this enigmatic feeling in a positive manner. It is something beyond human comprehension, something mystical."

How does he intend to approach the European and American markets? "Being two very different markets, the modalities are going to be diverse. I would like to cover both markets step by step. In Europe I'd want to continue with the shows if possible, and in the meantime make contact with the buyers and boutiques to start to build exposure. Opening my own boutiques is an ideal plan: it takes time and a lot of money. So I would start with a key location in Milan: I am thinking about exhibiting a collection at Corso Como 10, and later expanding. In the US, there will be another strategy. I want to go directly to the buyers."

What does he think about the emerging Chinese fashion designers from the Chinese mainland? Is it an exciting time for them to flourish internationally? "I think there are several quite good fashion designers in China right now, but given that the fashion industry is not yet well established, especially for individual designers, I think it takes time. I would say to the young designers in China to hold on. Please, don't give up. Even me, if I were not determined, persistent, or stubborn enough, I would have never had my European breakthrough. It took almost 10 years."

(China Daily 03/08/2013 page29)