• About
  • Contact

The Fashionéaste

~ For lovers of fashion in film

The Fashionéaste

Tag Archives: Wei Tang

Lust, Caution

28 Monday Nov 2011

Posted by Angie in 1940's, Women

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Ang Lee, lust caution, Shanghai, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Wei Tang

Set in Shanghai during WWII, “Lust, Caution,” directed by Ang Lee, 2007, is a marvel of restraint. Wang Jiazhi, played by Wei Tang, gets swept up in a wave of patriotism and activism that ultimately **SPOILER ALERT **destroys her.  Coveted costumes by Lai Pan.

Wang goes undercover to seduce and entrap Mr. Yee, played meticulously by Tony Leung Chiu Wai. Mr. Yee collaborates with the Japanese occupiers to mercilessly silence the resistance. Along the way Mr. Yee falls in love with Wang, and Wang, against her will, falls in love with Mr. Yee.

The film is plotted brilliantly and at first you think that Mr. Yee is going to get his just desserts, but he is saved by Wang who ultimately cannot let him be killed.

Be forewarned, there is some freaky deaky sex here. Tony Leung is not the sweet forlorn Tony Leung in “Chungking Express,” he is a hardened, masochistic, soulless being. It’s not gratuitous, it’s to show the evolution of the relationship. At first Mr. Yee practically assaults her, she is just something to be conquered and humiliated in his eyes. Next, it becomes more like mutual lust. Lastly, Wang succumbs to her growing feelings and makes love to him, and his hardened heart softens and lets her in. The bedroom is the only place they can let down their guard safely.

Ok, so let’s talk about the clothes. Shanghai has always fascinated me. It’s always been a diverse city because of it’s trading stature. Russians, Middle Eastern people, Americans, Europeans have always lived there and established businesses there. The people living there adopt things from other cultures that they like giving the nature of the clothes a truly modern mashup of influences.

I love that Ang Lee opens with this Mah Jong game. Mah Jong is a way to pass leisure time. These women haven't a care in the world as their country is being torn apart. He conveys it all by them playing this game, with perfectly manicured nails.

You know a film is gonna be a good reference when the extras look this good. Love the huge clutch.

Wang and her wonderful hat and trench.

Maybe it's my narrow exposure to Chinese fashion, but I'd never seen a striped cheongsam. Doesn't it make it soo fresh? It melds the European and Chinese aesthetic perfectly.

Love the graphic scarf against that rich color.

It's damp and raining, and she still looks perfectly turned out.

I need to find a great rain hat like this.

Here it is from the back, gives you full coverage. And look at that cute bow.

I don't know if the lace is her slip or if it's trim on her hem, but I love the look.

Here she is again with that great hat and trench, this time with large clutch. I think I need to get one of those.

**SPOILER ALERT** At the end, Wang realizes the price of her mercy to Yee as she and her friends stare down an endless abyss that is to be their grave.  It shows you that in the fog of war, an act of humanity can cost you your life.

If you’re designing for FALL, this would make a great springboard.

HOMEWORK: find a great trench and rain hat. Let’s put our umbrellas in storage.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 362 other subscribers
Follow Me on Pinterest

CATEGORIES

Blogroll

  • Asian Fail
  • Decor8
  • Design Love Fest
  • FIDM, Los Angeles, Museum
  • Garance Dore
  • The Business
  • The Satorialist
  • The Treatment

FAVES, no particular order

Directed by James Ivory, Costume Design Jenny Beavan, 1985

Directed by Jack Clayton, Costume Design Theoni V. Aldredge, 1974

Directed by Sally Potter, Costume Design Sandy Powell, 1992

Direct by Arthur Penn, Costume Design Theadora Van Runkle, 1967

Directed by Iain Softley, Costume Design Sandy Powell, 1997

Directed by Wong Kar Wai, Costume Design William Chang, 2000

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Costume Design Mark Bridges, 2007

Directed by Cary Joji Fukanaga, Costume Design Michael O'Connor 2011

Archives

Be cool:

Comments deemed inappropriate including general spam, self-promotional spam, rude language and offensive comments will not be published and will be deleted.

Please ID the source material if pinning from this blog, either The Fashioneaste (if copying my text) or the film's director/costume designer/cinematographer, whoever is responsible for the image.

Featuring

50's 1960's Paris Adriano Goldman Alexander McQueen American Cinematheque AN AMERICAN IN PARIS Andrei Tarkovsky Anna Karina Ann Demeulemeester A Room with a View (film) Bob Gruen Bonjour Tristesse Brigitte Bardot Carey Mulligan Cary Fukunaga Catherine Deneuve Charles Eames Charlotte Rampling Christopher Doyle collars Costume Designer cuffs Daniel Day Lewis Dario Marianelli David Fincher Dracula Edwardian Elizabeth Taylor Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Faye Wong Film noir Francis Ford Coppola Google Google Search Helena Bonham Carter Helmut Lang Ismail Merchant Jack Palance James Ivory Jane Eyre Jean-Luc Godard Jean-Paul Gaultier Jean Seberg Jenny Beavan Judi Dench Julian Sands Keira Knightley Los Angeles County Museum of Art Maggie Smith Mark Bridges Merchant Ivory Productions Paul Newman Public Broadcasting Service Ray Eames Robert Redford Rock music Rock Stars Rodarte Sacrifice Sandy Powell Saul Bass Search Engines Searching Tarkovsky The Hunger Tony Leung Chiu-Wai Tony Scott Turner Classic Movies Film Festival Twitter Valentino Vogue Weegee William Chang Won Kar Wai Yves Saint Laurent
Copyright The Fashionéaste © 2011-2015. All rights reserved.

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • The Fashionéaste
    • Join 288 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • The Fashionéaste
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.

    %d bloggers like this: