Performing artists gathered at the Huashan Culture Park in Taipei on Monday to fete the New Aspect Promotion Corporation on its 30th anniversary as promoter of the performing arts.

Only a few days before her departure for New York to participate in a pret-a-porter show, top Taiwan designer Sophie Hong turned the New Aspect's celebration into a memorable fashion event.

The New Aspect's prime movers Hsu Po-yun and Fan Man-nung put on stylish creations of Sophie Hong on this special occasion. Actually Hong designed the Victorian wardrobe for the Mandarin version of Oscar Wilde's "Lady Windermere's Fan" in Taipei years ago. The play was produced by New Aspect.

Pipa player Wong Ching-ping, the first performer in the evening's program, donned a Chinese-inspired but modern look. So did dancer Wang Cheng-liang who took to the limelight when flutist Hu Chih-wei began playing a piece. Lin Hsiu-wei of the Taigu Tales Dance Theater and Wu Hsing-kuo of the Contemporary Legend Theater grabbed the spotlight momentarily with their improvisational dance, which actually was made truly dramatic and colorful by traditional Chinese opera gestures and moves. The couple worked magic with a piece of cloth before a mesmerized crowd of artists and ardent supporters of the arts.

Then the fast-paced fashion parade by professional ramp models on clogs began. Hair Culture on this occasion created for the mannequins truly fantastic hairstyles.

Dark blue, earthy brown, flaming red and dazzling golden were colors which flashed before the eyes of the spectators. The pipings, the slits, the asymmetrical lines, the loose silhouettes, and the layered effect consistently showed the Sophie Hong style for all seasons. Fashion items coming out of the Paris-trained designer's atelier were mix-matched to highlight the fact that they were chic and very wearable.

Chinese opera queen Wei Hai-min appeared very regal when she finally stepped out to sing an excerpt from the theater production adapted from Athenian tragic poet Euripides' "Medea." This is to be staged in Taipei before the end of the year. Composer Hsu Po-yun wrote the music.


Written by Nancy T. Lu / culture.tw

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