About the Artist
Follow our adventures on Instagram
Follow our adventures on Instagram
About the Artist
Her eponymous brand, SHUTING QIU conveys a signature sense of femininity that features a “modern romantic” woman, powerful and independent while maintaining her soft identity. The SHUTING QIU woman dares to express herself with asymmetry and experimentation in silhouettes, often resulting in rich contrasting colors of silk jacquards, intricate embroideries, and juxtapositions of linear and floral prints.
Currently based in Shanghai, the Chinese-born designer constantly finds inspiration in art, literature, cinema and travel. Shuting’s creations pay homage to the free, romantic and neurotic spirit of heroines such as Virginia Woolf and Pina Bausch.
In a fusion of fashion and luxury, the collection, called ‘Reimagination’, is in honor of the snake, which is about renewal and positive transformation, leaving behind the past and embracing new beginnings. Vibrant, abstract interpretations of a snake writhe across the carafe designs, using splashes of colour and prints, to reflect the texture and scales of the snake body.
Shuting Qiu, who is originally from Hangzhou has drawn inspiration from her cultural heritage. Looking to the jacquard fabric, Chinese brocade and embroidery prints traditionally used in clothing and textiles in her hometown, Qiu has reimagined the symbolic floral motifs and abstract snake scale patterns to adorn Hennessy’s iconic VSOP, X.O and Paradis cognac carafes. With base colours of red, each bottle tells a unique story, and as a nod to Hennessy’s heritage, the snake’s movements through the patterns evokes the Charente River in Cognac.
The Hennessy carafes are classics, and this is similar to fashion in that every brand has its classic silhouettes, unique designs and colors.
THE COLLECTION:
Qiu has created three distinct sketch, reflecting the character of Hennessy’s different cognac blends to dress Hennessy carafes
VSOP Edition – Youthful and Energetic
To underline the “young and energetic” character of the VSOP edition, Shuting Qiu has created a blend of four distinct self-designed patterns featuring traditional motifs and an abstract representation of the snake weaves through it. The carafe is thus covered in red vibrant floral motifs, alongside Hawaiian-inspired elements, in an artistic celebration of colour. The outfit features a combination of plaid and abstract snake-scale silhouettes, symbolizing renewal and legacy.
X.O Edition – Bold and Dynamic
For the bold and dynamic X.O edition, the fashion designer has created an outfit with rich shades of red, gold and blue, diamond shapes inspired by traditional Chinese motifs and a gold cap. Shuting Qiu’s interpretation of transformation and renewal is reflected in the snake that glides over the patterns and becomes imbued with them.
Paradis Edition – Elegant and Sculptural
The artist wished to pay tribute to the timeless elegance of Hennessy Paradis by transforming the carafe into a vibrant red masterpiece in honor of the Year of the Snake. The sculptural snake design is more abstract and poetic, and embodies elegance and luxury, by representing a prosperous pursuit towards newness. The bottle has a leather collar, with a soft-to-the-touch-graphic motif hinting at the awakening of spring, inspired by the rebirth of a graceful snake shedding its skin.
THE ARTWORK: HAUTE COUTURE PIECE
The collection is complemented by a bespoke two-sided tapestry designed by Qiu. The art piece presents a precious play on bold color, vibrant motifs and relief, at once evoking the traditional Chinese arts of brocade and embroidery and the texture of snakeskin as it is shed and renewed.
This innovative art piece made for Hennessy features a dual allegory of transformation and rebirth as the snake sheds its old skin and emerges into an opulent, fantastical landscape.
Recalling the grace of the Charente River, the serpent glides from old to new, its glistening red and gold body emerging into a new landscape. Embroidered flower petals appear in relief, symbolizing craft, opulence, and the promise of spring.
Infuse art at the heart of your communication strategy using content from artistic brands. SOMEXING agency conceptualizes and produces the creation of video and photo content with the artistic direction of well-known or emerging photographers and videographers, or the brush of illustrators.
The relationship between art and luxury has contributed to the creation of legendary works, which inscribe collaborations in a collective memory. Inspired and inspiring, the limited editions intersect the worlds of brands and the worlds of artists.
Since 2012, Somexing has been monitoring contemporary Chinese and European art and design. The agency leads a network of art market professionals and artists’ studios.
