DECISION TO PARTICIPATE: Tang Wei, the internationally acclaimed Chinese actress with major works such as ‘Late Autumn’ and ‘Decision to Leave’ to her credit, has been appointed Burberry Global Brand Ambassador.
The British luxury brand confirmed its appointment on Wednesday, releasing images of Tang wearing a trench coat with a faux fur collar from the brand’s Winter 2023 collection near a lush pond, photographed by Ryan McGinley. She finished her look with a pair of round toe boots and a small Knight bag in grainy blue calfskin and sheepskin.
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“Having known Burberry for many years, I feel like we have become old friends, and its influence is deeply woven into my life,” Tang said of her new role.
Last month, she attended the brand’s pop-up in Shanghai and had intimate conversations with Burberry’s chief creative officer Daniel Lee. Her appearance, along with brand ambassador Chen Kun, had already helped the brand generate significant buzz on Chinese social media.
“I am truly grateful for this lasting company. I love Burberry’s distinct mastery of color and line, which conveys a sense of both familiarity and novelty. It’s a British charm that I’ve come to know and love, combined with a timeless yet rebellious modern spirit. Fate has brought us together. This friendship is like a rose, and I would like to see it blossom,” Tang added.
Considered one of the most celebrated Asian actresses of her generation, Tang has scored dozens of major awards since her silver screen debut in Ang Lee’s erotic spy film “Lust, Caution.” The film scored the Golden Lion at the 2007 Venice Film Festival.
The South Korean film ‘Decision to Leave’, which won the Best Director award at the 75th Cannes Film Festival last year, pushed her career to a new high.
Her portrayal of Song Seo-rae, a Chinese immigrant suspected of her husband’s murder, who later developed feelings for the main character, Detective Jang Hae-jun, played by Park Hae-il, who investigated the case, helped her become a to win a dozen. important recognitions in Asia and beyond.
Tang’s appointment is expected to help the brand increase awareness and appeal around Lee’s new direction in China, where the brand faces similar challenges to its competitors due to a macroeconomic slowdown in demand due to rising interest rates , pressure on the cost of living and more conservative consumers. way of thinking.
In mainland China, comparable store sales rose 15 percent in the first half, with all of the growth coming from the first three months. According to Burberry, sales in the region fell by 8 percent in the second quarter as spending shifted abroad.
As a whole, the Chinese shopper cluster grew by 25 percent in the three months to September 30, driven by wealthy, itinerant Chinese shoppers splashing their money in Japan (where the exchange rate is favourable) and in holiday resorts such as Hong Kong. and Macau.
Burberry Chief Financial Officer Kate Ferry said on an earnings call that the slowdown in mainland China has “extended” into the current quarter, although demand remains robust among Chinese tourists shopping abroad.
Before joining the Burberry family, Tang, alongside Chinese actor Chen, Thai star Bright, footballer Son Heung-Min and South Korean actress Jun Ji-Hyun, was the face of Loewe in China and worked in and occasionally with Chanel on video content and red-carpet appearances. – TIANWEI ZHANG
THE STARS COME OUT: The Awards season got off to a very good start on Monday evening at the 2023 Gotham Awards, held at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.
Talent from this year’s most notable film and television works were in attendance, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman, Penélope Cruz, Laura Dern, Greta Lee, Carey Mulligan, Charles Melton, Michelle Williams, Bella Ramsey, AV Rockwell, Andrew Scott, Steven Yeun, Cailee Spaeny, Greta Gerwig, Willem Dafoe, Colman Domingo, Bob Odenkirk, Ali Wong, Danielle Brooks, Rebecca Hall and Nicole Beharie.
The best feature of the evening was awarded to Celine Song and her debut film ‘Past Lives’, starring Greta Lee. Charles Melton took home the award for Best Supporting Performance, while Lily Gladstone was recognized with the Lead Actor Award and Ali Wong for Television.
“This is actually the first film I’ve ever made,” Song told the audience as he accepted the evening’s final prize, “and a very personal film about an extraordinary feeling I had in an ordinary bar in the East Village , not too many blocks. away from here.”
Several of the year’s big blockbusters were also recognized, including ‘Barbie’, ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ and ‘Maestro’.
“We had the absolute best time making this film from start to finish, [where] every day felt like the most euphoric collective expression of creativity I’ve ever been a part of,” Gerwig said alongside producer and star Robbie while on stage for “Barbie.”
“It’s literally a dream come true to get audiences around the world to wear pink and come to the cinema,” Robbie said.
Gladstone, onstage with the cast of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” challenged the venue’s filmmakers with a sizable budget to “invest it in the people you’re telling the story about. Your movie will be better for it, your life will be better for it.”
The big story of the evening was De Niro’s introduction to the cast of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” during which he stopped mid-speech to explain that his original speech had been edited to comment on Donald Trump, censorship and the treatment of Native Americans to exclude.
“History is no longer history. Truth is not truth. Even facts are replaced by alternative facts and driven by conspiracy theories and ugliness,” De Niro read on his phone as he left the teleprompter. “The entertainment industry is not immune to this festering disease. The Duke, John Wayne, famously said of the Native Americans, “I do not feel that we have done anything wrong in taking this great country from them.”
The room was on De Niro’s side and cheered when he went off script. The most moving moment of the evening was undoubtedly Melton’s supporting actor win (it’s worth nothing that the Gotham recipient for this award has won the Oscar the past two years: Troy Kotsur and Ke Huy Quan).
“This is tough, this is great. I just think about the 23 days we spent in Savannah, Georgia filming and it’s the greatest experience of my career,” a nervous Melton said from the stage. “And I love you, Mom.” – LEIG NORDSTROM
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