News Coverage:

Mercedes Australian Fashion Week Kicks Off With M·A·C Cosmetics Chinese Dress Exhibition

DALLAS, Apr 19, 2006/ FW/ --- Summer is just around the corner here in the northern hemisphere, yet in Australia, autumn is just beginning as the city celebrates the Spring 2007 Sydney season scheduled on Apr 26 to 30, 2006.

To kick off the event, M·A·C Cosmetics will host a live exhibition of the Qi Pao (chi pau), the classic Chinese Dress, created entirely with M·A·C makeup products.

On April 24th, nude models will be painted in Qi Pao inspired designs. The M·A·C Chinese Dress exhibition, which has previously toured Shanghai, China, New York City and Bangkok, Thailand, will be held at Trades Hall in Chinatown, and will be Fashion Week’s must-see event.

The M·A·C Chinese Dress exhibition was originally created to celebrate M·A·C’s entry into China, and debuted in Shanghai, China in October 2005 to the delight of the cities’ fashion, media and social elite.

The exhibit then traveled to US, launching New York Fashion Week in February, followed by a triumphant stop in Bangkok, Thailand’s new luxury shopping mecca, Paragon.

M·A·C Chinese Dress, is a celebration and reinterpretation of the classic Qi Pao garment. M·A·C filters the Qi Pao through its renowned artistry and renegade spirit. The result is 12 highly inventive and creative interpretations on the Qi Pao and iconic Chinese cultural motifs, including designs by designers Vivienne Tam and Zac Posen, each composed entirely of M·A·C makeup products on gorgeous live models.

M·A·C Director of Makeup Artistry Nadine Luke created the balance of the Qi Pao designs. Sydney-based M·A·C Senior Artist Nicola Burford will lead a team of more than 37 M·A·C artists in creating the intricately detailed looks on the model’s nude bodies.

Breath-taking hats from renowned millenary designer Stephen Jones accessorise the body designs; many of the bodies receive a glamorous dose of sparkle and shine with Swarovski crystals.

“The beauty and refinement of Chinese Art and Design has always been a huge influence on my work and this is a fabulous opportunity to show that interest," explained Stephen Jones. "M·A·C is about extravagance and beauty, and so am I. I think the girls are going to look sensational!"

The Qi Pao was developed in the 17th century and has evolved over the centuries into the elegant silk dress we see today, often in sumptuous and vibrant colors with elaborate embroidery.

Chinese women still wear the Qi Pao, also known as a Cheongsam, in traditional and formal occasions. Timeless in its design, many modern fashion designers continue to be inspired by the classic shape of the Qi Pao – at once both sensual and demure.