Designer Guo Pei steps into art world

Chinese designer Guo Pei, whose gold gown will be sold at auction in London on Tuesday, is described as China's "queen of couture" after bursting onto the international stage when superstar Rihanna wore one of her extravagant creations to the prestigious Met Gala 2015 in New York.

But the Beijing-based couturier remains modest, admitting she does not love being known as the queen of couture as she believes "there's still room for improvement".

"Maybe in the future, when people are looking back, they will give me that position in history, but that's not something I am pursuing," Guo told China Daily. "On the other hand, I do appreciate this title because it proves that the work I've been doing over the years, the persistence, doing what I love and my contributions have been recognized."

Guo's creations showcase the finest of traditional Chinese craftsmanship, while also incorporating contemporary innovation and Western style.

For the first time ever, Guo is offering one of her couture dresses for sale as part of Sotheby's Gold: The Midas Touch auction in London.

The hand sewn, Gold Traditional Bridal Dress, was meticulously crafted with gold thread in-laid with precious metal from Guo's atelier in Beijing over the course of six years.

Guo employed around 30 stitching techniques adapted from across the globe to create this piece, forming a three-dimensional effect by embroidering over sheepskin, which gives the fabric different heights.

The wedding dress is expected to fetch an estimated 700,000 pounds ($870,000) when it goes to auction on Tuesday.

Guo said she is excited to see the dress auctioned off as an art piece and hopes this will pave the way for couture to be considered an art form in the future.

"This collaboration with Sotheby's is almost defining couture as an art, and that's why it took me such a long time to select a piece for auction," Guo said. "The couture dress should be the highest craftsmanship, but also importantly there should be a human touch to it, there should be a story, as over time, the dress should evolve with the person who wears it."

She added: "Like any art pieces, the buyer should appreciate its value and it can also pass down the generations."

Guo is also set to host her first fashion show in the United Kingdom at London's Victoria and Albert Museum as part of celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of the museum's Fashion in Motion series.

"London is the center of the art world－here is where you get the most avant-garde fashion－there are a lot of young people who follow avant-garde fashion and I'm curious how my show will be received in the city, especially by young people," she said.

Yao Shengqi contributed to this story.