Pop diva Karen Mok Man-wai will record an audio guide in three languages for a French fashion exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, making a rare appearance in the city’s art scene.
The award-winning singer and fashion icon will guide people through key items reflecting the evolution of French fashion in Cantonese, English and Mandarin during the exhibition, which will be hosted by the museum later this month.
The show, titled “The Adorned Body: French Fashion and Jewellery 1770-1910 from the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris”, will feature nearly 400 pieces of French fashion, jewellery and accessories from the late 18th to the early 20th centuries at the West Kowloon Cultural District.
The museum described Mok as a multitalented performer, saying she would share stories about her favourite picks from the collection.
The audio guide will be accessible inside the gallery through personal smartphones, as well as the museum’s devices and website.
The pieces, which will go on display between June 24 and October 24 to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and France, have been loaned by the Musee des Arts Decoratifs. The museum has been called “Paris’ most comprehensive collection of historical French fashion”.
Almost all the items will be showcased in Asia for the first time, some of which have never been seen outside France.
The display will include an 18th century court dress – a set of a mantle, skirt and stomacher – worn by an aristocratic French woman. The extremely rare dress, one of the oldest items in the exhibition, is decorated with lace, and gold and silver thread, according to the Palace Museum.
Another luxurious dress by Charles Frederick Worth (1825–1895), known as the father of haute couture, and an aristocratic man’s 18th century indoor jacket are also expected at the show.
These items reflect the global network of trade and cultural exchanges between China and France.
Tickets are priced at HK$150 (US$19) for adults, while concessionary ones are available at HK$75. Tickets to the show also allow access to other exhibitions at the Palace Museum.
