China, an influence epicenter

China has been my great discovery this year!

I had always dreamed of traveling there and now that my friends Coro and Mat live there, it was the ideal occasion.

I went in July of this year and found even more inspiration and artistic influences than I expected.

What surprised me the most was the landscaping of traditional Chinese gardens. Specifically, the one I liked the most is Yuyuan’s garden because of the originality of its geometries, the holes in its walls and the sensitivity it has with which it treats building elements and landscaping. Symbology is fundamental for them, each small element always has its meaning, they do nothing on a whim or at random, everything has a why; it is something that fills you with inspiration and strength. The power of the natural, with its colors, smells and shapes (that they are in charge of molding to their taste and way) makes you transport for a moment to an idyllic place full of peace.

Those geometric lines charged with energy filled me with joy and strength.

But the reality is that, as the days went by, I discovered that China is an authentic source of inspiration in all aspects.

The most enriching thing about the trip was the contrast between the absolute modernity we can see in its Pudong skyline, created only in the last 20 years; fused with an absolutely traditional China full of charm. In Shanghai on the same day you can visit traditional Chinese architecture, wonderful antique shops, go to shops with the latest contemporary design in ceramics and other decorative elements, eat the most incredible restaurants in the world, dine on the 87th floor of the Hyatt hotel and end the day in a nightclub called Mint where you dance next to a giant aquarium with real sharks … endless options!

I was fascinated by the visit to a 19th-century Chinese bourgeois house in Zhujiajiao, full of incredible decorative details and above all by the design of its gardens to which they gave a lot of importance and the interior and exterior connection of each of the rooms. Every interior space has an exterior correspondence in a garden or a courtyard. It is incredible how energy flows in that architecture.

I leave you some photographs of this fabulous trip and of what it has contributed to me artistically. Many thanks to my friends Coro and Mateu for welcoming me into their home and showing me so many wonders… I recommend all those passionate and attracted by the exotic, the artistic and culturally different; approach this country full of contrasts. It has filled me with inspiration for the new collection…

With love,

Laura Gärna