Eastern and Western fashion collided at a recent fashion show at the Grand Theater in Jinan, Shandong, where bikinis met traditional Peking opera.
As with many of the events held last week, the show was another Singles’ Day event. And in staying true to the Day’s focus on consumerism, the event showcased the models carrying a number of handbags.
Bizarrely, this is not the first time China has attempted to draw a connection between bikinis and Peking Opera. In 2012, the 37th Annual Miss Bikini International Contest outfitted contestants in Peking Opera headdresses while performing in bikinis. Needless to say, the Chinese public was not impressed with the trivialization of traditional Chinese culture, and the event drew public condemnation (video here).
And yet, somehow, “bikinis and Peking Opera” remains a mainstay of fashion shows and beauty pageants. This past August, Jinan was again the scene of a “Peking Opera-themed bikini show” in which contestants wore bikinis along with Peking Opera-styled headdresses (seen below):
