Porcelain Meets Couture: UBS Premieres "Glazed Splendor" at Art Basel Hong Kong
Co-created by fashion designer Guo Pei and Guangcai artisan, Master Tan Guanghui.
At Art Basel Hong Kong 2025 this week, UBS will present a new program dedicated to reimagining Chinese porcelain through contemporary artistic practices. In commemorating this inauguration, UBS partnered up with K11 Craft & Guild Foundation for a specially commissioned piece. Entitled “Glazed Splendor,” this unique piece is co-created by celebrated fashion designer, Guo Pei, and Master Tan Guanghui, a National-level Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor of Guangcai — a type of porcelain characterized by intricate overglaze hand-painted decorations.
This innovative work reinvents the craft of Guangcai, showcasing 6,000 hand-painted porcelain tiles that form a golden couture gown, adorned with floral motifs of peonies and edelweiss that serve as a symbol of China and Switzerland’s cultural connection.
Through this partnership, Guo Pei explored the intricate art of Guangcai porcelain under the guidance of Master Tan, whose unparalleled expertise in hand-painting porcelain tiles brought precision and artistry to the project. “The process taught me to appreciate the delicate balance between tradition and innovation, as we pushed the boundaries of what porcelain could achieve in a contemporary context,” Guo Pei tells Hypebeast.
Meanwhile, Master Tan credits Guo’s innovative vision for inspiring experimentation with new techniques and reimagining Guangcai for a global audience, emphasizing the importance of preserving cultural heritage through bold, creative innovation. He notes “This is the first time we have used porcelain tiles to develop a dress. Her innovative approach to design and ability to blend traditional elements with modern aesthetics challenged me to think beyond the conventional applications of porcelain.”
Guo Pei and Master Tan’s “Glazed Splendor” dress will be displayed at the UBS Art Studio during Art Basel Hong Kong this week.
Art Basel Hong Kong
Convention & Exhibition Centre
1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai
Hong Kong
