THE ZHAI Shines at Paris Design Week
On September 4, 2025, THE ZHAI proudly presented a curated selection of works from Suzhou’s local artisan brands Soo Design and Silk Path at Paris Design Week, featured in both the China Pavilion and the China Week exhibition halls.
Through silk, ceramics, and bamboo, the exhibition explored the fusion of intangible heritage craftsmanship with contemporary design, showcasing how Jiangnan culture resonates in modern life. Since its founding in Suzhou in 2023, THE ZHAI has been dedicated to integrating Jiangnan aesthetics into contemporary living, bringing Eastern design sensibilities to an international audience.
Suzhou: A Living Canvas of Eastern Aesthetics
Suzhou, a millennia-old city recognized by UNESCO as a “City of Craftsmanship and Folk Art,” is famous for its classical gardens and the Wu School of painting. Equally renowned are its exquisite craftsmanship traditions, including Su embroidery, kesi weaving, and silk production, which embody living Eastern aesthetics.
The works presented by Soo Design and Silk Path continue this tradition in a contemporary form.
THE ZHAI also showcased the ZHAI SP 01 ceramic speaker, developed in collaboration with French studio Agence Paramétrique. Crafted from Dehua white porcelain, a national intangible heritage material, the speaker’s body is smooth as jade and resonates with crystal-clear sound. It merges Western parametric design precision with Eastern philosophical ideals of “objects as carriers of meaning,” epitomizing elegant cultural dialogue.
During China Week, THE ZHAI highlighted bamboo products and plant-dyed phone straps, expressing eco-conscious design through natural materials. The bamboo trays, crafted using the traditional “inlay wood” technique, feature intricate geometric patterns formed by combining differently colored woods, reflecting meticulous artisanal skill.
THE ZHAI’s Global Vision
Beyond Paris Design Week, THE ZHAI participates annually in Maison & Objet, the Paris Fashion and Home Design Fair, and continues to promote Chinese design globally through its online platform www.thezhaichina.com. According to brand director, “Starting from Suzhou, we aim to show the world that Eastern aesthetics are not static historical symbols—they are living, breathing, and evolving ways of life.”
This exhibition is more than a display of products; it is a cross-cultural narrative. Visitors at THE ZHAI pavilion experienced the tactile warmth of Jiangnan materials, engaged with the stories behind the craftsmanship, and witnessed the contemporary vitality of Eastern aesthetics in an international context.
THE ZHAI curates Chinese aesthetic creations and design to introduce handcrafted and intangible heritage products to the global market, shaping distinctive Eastern-inspired living spaces.
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