Tifaret made its highly anticipated evening schedule debut at London Fashion Week with its SS26 collection “Pai Tou”, an evocative exploration of Shanghai dockland life, memory, and transformation.
Designer Chiyue Dai drew inspiration from her own childhood, accompanying her mother one of the first women to work in international trade in 1990s Shanghai—to the docks. The port, with its stories of shipping routes, foreign goods, and whispers of modern piracy, became the foundation for a collection that bridges Shanghai and London, two global port cities shaped by exchange and contrast.
The SS26 runway was a tapestry of elegance and grit, channeling the duality of 1930s Shanghai. Cargo pants were juxtaposed with sailor tailoring, Chinese and tropical florals with Victorian silhouettes. Pyjama-like pieces referenced the uniforms of sex workers, while luxurious details evoked the faded opulence of opium dens creating garments that told stories of beauty, survival, and shadow.
Blending Victorian curves with Chinese flat-pattern cutting, the collection played with space between body and fabric, producing deeply layered, emotional designs. It was a show that highlighted Tifaret’s mastery in balancing narrative depth with sartorial refinement.
Founded by Chiyue Dai after graduating from the London College of Fashion and working with names such as Avsh Alom Gur and Pierre Balmain, Tifaret has quickly become a label to watch. Following its 2024 London debut and a successful showing at Shanghai’s Ontimeshow, the brand has solidified its reputation for creating fashion that merges fantasy with modern femininity.
With “Pai Tou”, Tifaret not only told a story rooted in personal and cultural history but also cemented its place as one of the most compelling new voices on the international fashion stage.