Guo Pei Couture Spring 2019

Guo Pei took to the temple, allowing her imagination to roam a spiritual safe haven of palatial proportions. With elaborate craftsmanship as the driving force, the designer offered a wide-ranging futuristic and Gothic-infused lineup, part warrior princess, part illustrious queen.

An unusual experiment with waders came at the start of the show, covered in golden-hued dragons and hanging open at the thigh to reveal a pair of bright blue HotPants. On top, more skin, with tasseled shoulder armor leaving an exposed bellybutton.

Related stories

Chiara Ferragni to Join Experts on LVMH Prize Panel

Think Tank: Four Steps to a Higher Value Proposition

Luxury Watchmakers Dive Into Digital Sphere

The complexity of her pieces can be overwhelming, even if they’re sent down the runway at a snail’s pace affording time for a good look. Models were perched on towering platform shoes — architectural pieces, too, like the garments.

Show notes cited gold wiring techniques and padded, three-dimensional embroidery. In one example, a teeth-baring dragon jutted off a shoulder, hanging on to the arm with a claw, its feather-tufted body snaking down one leg of the model. It was a dress, with an open slit and one leg covered in a sequined, mesh skin — at once spectacular and handsome, prompting spontaneous applause from the audience.

Her dragons were everywhere, hailing from the Han dynasty, which had them slim and masterful at transforming themselves — as was the clothing.

In an example of her East-meets-West aesthetic, Guo embellished a colorful tweed with large, randomly placed rhinestones, and used it to build one of the wider pieces, overlaying a body-fitting bustier.

Captivating, all of it. Among standouts was a shimmery, full body dress in a stiff mother-of-pearl material. High collared, hard shouldered and long-sleeved, the train trailing behind took the most unusual form, as shown when the model took an extra spin around the colossal red columns lining the runway.

Launch Gallery: Guo Pei Couture Spring 2019

Get more from WWD: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter