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Imperial Threads: The Rich History of Chinese Textile Arts

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Asia is famous for giving the world its rich tradition of fine, elaborately crafted silk textiles. It’s these colourful fabrics and intricate needlework techniques that inspired the craft of Jacqueline Simcox—an expert in antique textile arts—who specializes in Chinese and Central Asian traditions.

Having extensively studied the history of Eastern textiles, Simcox—who is also a published author and lecturer on the subject—brings the beauty of antique Chinese garments to contemporary audiences.

The pieces in her traditional Chinese clothing collections range from imperial court costumes to Buddhist and Daoist silks. Prominently profiled are the main textile techniques of the period, such as embroidery, brocade, and tapestry, spanning the 2nd to the 19th centuries.

In these pages, discover the fascinating world of Simcox’s textiles, from an exquisite ladies’ court robe to the festive nature-inspired dress of the Miao minority people.

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The black silk gauze ladies’ surcoat from the Guangxu period (1875–1908) features red-capped cranes—Chinese symbols of wisdom and long life—holding lingzhi fungi, surrounded by flowers and leaves. A wave and water motif accents the surcoat’s border alongside other fauna and flora designs. Ideal for summer celebrations and weddings, the clothing’s pattern signifies longevity, wisdom, and immortality, the latter associated with the lingzhi fungus.

Provenance / Marcel and Zaira Mis Collection, Belgium

Order the Magnifissance print edition to read the full story.

This story is from Magnifissance Issue 125

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Inspired for a Beautiful Life

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