Fashion shows are usually associated with catwalks, costumes, and models. However, for Italian Valerio Festi, the artistic director of the Shenzhen & Milan Lifestyle Week’s opening ceremony show, fashion is progressively evolving from merely being about attire into an art form.

He and his Italy-based Festi Group team turned an outdoor square into a theater where attendees witnessed a splendid Italian show creatively infused with Chinese culture that kicked off a four-day fashion feast at the China-Guanlan Original Printmaking Base in Longhua District on March 19.

A scene at the opening ceremony of the Shenzhen/Milan Lifestyle Week in China-Guanlan Printmaking Base in Longhua District. Photos by Liu Xudong

The show, themed “Art and Nature,” was centered around cross-cultural communication and incorporated narratives that connected nature and fashion, nature and the future of humanity, and nature and ecology.

Crafting beauty

“The dancers just came out of nowhere in the sky. It was really beautiful and great to see,” Sophie Halliwell, a British fashion designer, told Shenzhen Daily after watching the show Tuesday.

At around 9:10 p.m. Tuesday, accompanied by traditional Chinese melodies, the Italian show unfolded on stage in a surprising way for the audience. Two Italian dancers, adorned in light yellow and blue long dresses, appeared suspended in the sky alongside a large helium-filled balloon that symbolized humans embracing the earth.

The show lasted for about 40 minutes and included Italian and local performers. During the show, some performers flew in the sky while others danced and played the piano. Some moved in water while others appeared on movable stages.

Behind the scenes were the concerted efforts of a 42-person group, which included 20 Italians. Festi and his group dedicated three months to its preparation.

“We took care of everything,” Festi told Shenzhen Daily during an interview three days before the official show. The Italian team paid meticulous attention to every detail, from selecting the location, generating ideas, choosing music, and crafting scenarios, to coordinating technicians, lighting designers, sound operators, acrobats, dancers, actors, and directors.

Festi and his group made their first trip to Shenzhen after the show was commissioned, and they selected the printmaking village in Longhua as the setting for the show.

Festi expressed his fondness for the Hakka-style compound that is surrounded by lush greenery. The village includes a spacious outdoor square, which reminded him of traditional feasts in Italy. “We want to make a theater in Shenzhen,” Festi said.

Perfecting the show

During rehearsals, Paolo Maimone, the show’s director, was seen engaging with performers, technicians, lighting and sound operators, and other relevant staff to ensure a perfect artistic performance.

Maimone told Shenzhen Daily that he and most Italian team members arrived in Shenzhen on March 10 to oversee the show’s preparations. “We have to check, recheck, and have rehearsals,” Maimone said, underscoring their commitment to perfecting every facet of the show.

Beyond the performers, the attention of onlookers might be drawn to cables and cranes. Two large cranes were hidden on different sides of the square and served as important tools for the show.

Paolo Maimone, director of the opening ceremony, has an interview with media outlets.

“Without the cranes, we cannot have the steel cables. There would be no flying dancers, flying piano, and flying boat,” Maimone said. The team encountered occasional difficulties during preparations, such as needing to figure out how to maneuver the dancers on the ground and drive the vehicle. However, collective efforts from technicians and locals ensured these obstacles were solved in a way that guaranteed safety.

“Collaborating with the Italian team was highly efficient. They are professional and thoughtful,” Jiang Min, one of the local performers, told Shenzhen Daily.

Artistic collaboration

Shenzhen seized the opportunity to partner with Italian enterprises and institutions, marking a new venture for both parties involved.

Zhao Huizhou, a Shenzhen-based designer who runs the brand HUI, also contributed to the show by including characteristics that combine modern and traditional Chinese elements.

“We try to make a good mix,” said Maimone.

“While the Italian performers danced a ballet, Chinese performers did contemporary dance. There was also Chinese music and Italian music in the show,” Zhao said. Furthermore, some costumes were provided by famous Italian brand Valentino and some were produced by HUI.