Bringing Suzhou Village to the world

At 2:00 pm global media will begin to arrive and will be offered a curated tour of the Village. At 3:30 PM performances will begin at random points in the village, providing the first hint that a transformation is taking place, one that represents the full bloom of a vision that has been several years in the making. Invited guests will begin arriving at 5:00 PM and beverages will be served in the Garden and VIP area.

As dusk begins to settle on the Village, Strange Fruits will begin their expression of brilliance and style on left side of the Riviera. Their stunning artistry will be followed at 7:30 PM by an official ceremony on the main stage. Guests will then be invited to transfer to the designated area for the show sequence, which will begin at 8 PM.

After the activities on the main stage, performers and musicians will appear throughout the village and the boutiques will reopen. From 9:00 PM the guest VIP area will be alive with beats from DJ Patrick Vidal and Pierre Giner projection will bring the Village architecture alive like pages from a magic book.

Visitors to the Grand Celebration will also be able to enjoy these other aspects of the Village's creativity platform:

The Thousand Silk Threads Cathedral – The Freedom to explore

A soaring installation, the Threads Cathedral has inspired fashion shoots and expressive interpretations of Suzhou Village and its innovative spirit. Complete with a soundscape and dancing lights, it gives guests an opportunity to enter the story telling of the Village and be thrilled by the refinement that this artwork inspires. The cathedral-like space reflects the respect Value Retail has for the dreams and memories of pioneers, whose journeys between East and West helped to shape the modern world.

When Marco Polo came to Suzhou in 1276 he began to sew a tapestry that bound China and Europe together in trade and friendship. In this space thousands of threads ascend to the heights, capturing the spirit of travel. The soaring architecture of the installation reflects the way a new voyage can lift our spirits with the joy of discovery.

At the heart of the work, animated silk threads weave out scenes of experience, memory and emotion derived from Marco Polo's epic adventure. In the ever-changing shapes can be found the myth of the Suzhou Village Mermaid and the Silk Knot that is the symbol of the Village's core values – heritage, innovation, creativity and experience.

Zhou Jie, a stage and costume artist who in 2009 designed an iconic scene in Wong Kar Wai's film The Grand Master directed the Thousand Silk Threads Cathedral animation. Huzi, an established artist in Beijing's underground music scene designed the beguiling soundscape that accompanies the exhibition.

October 11- December 15

Pierre Giner's iconic images of international youngsters are the basis of the last video installation that prepares the blooming of Suzhou Village. Giner's work links style with contemporary Chinese textiles and NYC's street culture and elevates both to a new level of sophistication and fun.

Surprises are waiting

Moving around the Village, guests will be surprised in October by randomly scheduled activations. Follow the music and props and objects that appear and disappear within the village as fleeting expressions of Suzhou's spirit. These original creations by Xiao Ke and Zhou Jie, produce a layered experience that combine with our guests' passion for self-expression and the Village's articulate architecture, which tells the story of Europe's embrace of China. The 10 different scenes were performed throughout the summer and will be summarized in a final visual narration with all participating artists at a finale show on October 16.

Grand Celebration participants and creatives

Arthub Asia – Creative Direction

After managing the BizArt Art Centre in Shanghai for a decade, Davide Quadrio created Arthub in 2007 as a platform to support artistic endeavours in Asia. Arthub is now one of the 12 worldwide network partners of Prince Claus Fund (the Netherlands) for South East Asia

Zhou Jie – Director Thousands Silk Threads

A stage and costumes designer, Zhou Jie has been active in Shanghai and China for over twenty years, working on project such as Aida by Maggio Fiorentino, Florence (2000) and various productions with the Shanghai Grand Theatre. In 2009 Zhou designed one of the most inspiring scenes in The Grand Master by Wong Kar Wai.

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