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Orient Express

Orient Express

By Francine Ballard
Papercity, April 2015

Art meets fashion next month at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, with an opulent exhibition organized by the Anna Wintour Costume Center featuring Chinese paintings, porcelains and film. “China: Through the Looking Glass” explores Eastern imagery and mysticism, May 7 through August 16. As a precursor, we couldn’t help but orient ourselves with imagery of our own, pushing boundaries into sumptuous spaces with inspiring Asian design. Claydon House in Buckinghamshire, England, with its carved pagodas, Chinese fretwork, temples and oriental scrolls, exemplifies chinoiserie at its finest. And Beth Katleman’s subtle porcelain installations juxtaposed with spring’s ornate Asian-inspired accessories make us giddy stowaways on an enchanting, albeit slow boat to … you guessed it, China.