Zhang Member Of EDGE Creative Collective#
In the run-up to Chinese New Year and the Year of the Dragon, we're still seeing major brands debut new dragon-themed collections aimed at tapping the booming China luxury market. Recently, following in the footsteps of Rolls-Royce, Piaget, Blancpain and others, Coach unveiled its Year of the Dragon collaboration with the multidisciplinary Chinese artist Zhang Lan. A member of the EDGE Creative Collective, Zhang has rapidly risen in visibility over the past several years, becoming recognized as a pioneer in Chinese tattoo and street art design.
For his collaboration with Coach, Zhang adorns the brand's signature designs and mahogany color scheme with golden dragons rendered in a style reminiscent of traditional Chinese ink painting. Far more edgy and youthful than the Year of the Dragon collections we've seen recently from the likes of Swarovski and Versace, the Coach x Zhang Lan line includes a passport case, travel wallet and travel organizer, and tote.
Originally hailing from inland Hunan province, Zhang Lan initially made a splash in Hunan's nascent street art scene as a graffiti artist, before moving to Shanghai and founding the award-winning street art collective PEN CREW. Working in mediums as diverse as stickers, apparel, toys and interiors, Zhang Lan has taken part in regular collaborations with brands like Nike and Pepsi -- working on product design, installations and live events -- and has been featured in top Chinese publications such as Shanghai Daily, Milk and M-Style, as well as international media like CNNGo and HS Magazine.
See a sampling of Zhang Lan's w0rk on NeochaEDGE
