Dreams Took Flight One Year Ago
Written by The Fete Chinoise Team
Photography by IKONICA Images
Every year, our team at Fete Chinoise takes the lead on Lunar New Year, with ideas that push the boundaries of design, integrates culture and tradition, and innovates the guest experience as a part of the art of the event. It’s never been an easy task, as what we host is a very detailed and design-driven gala (with 700-800 guests!), executed at the most exquisite venues in the city — beginning with the first 3 years at the Shangri-La Hotel Toronto, moving to the Art Gallery of Ontario in 2019 and then the iconic Royal York in 2020. The hundreds and hundreds of hours that go into creating this magical time and place together is supported by a dream to celebrate Chinese culture in a contemporary, relevant and inspiring fashion. Through our project, we uplift the community with incredible storytelling and meaning, connecting culture with identity in ways never before imagined.
We look back proudly and forward with hope, as we navigate another pandemic year in our world. It is profoundly these moments we created together that are a part of our community’s collective memory, which is irreplaceable and important in defining the landscape of culture. While we sit out from social events in person for another year, perhaps it makes us cherish and appreciate what we have taken part in together, so that future events can reach a new level of depth and brilliance.
Which is your favourite in our series of unique themes that we have delivered throughout the years? The Inaugural, The Modern Celebration, Luck & Ritual and the Language of Legacy led us to the anniversary edition, Dreams Take Flight. Let us take a trip down memory lane from one year ago, with some highlights from the evening’s event design and programming, and cherish the many ways in which dreams took flight that evening. Thank you to our collaborators and partners in culture, Ikonica for these beautiful images.
Red Carpet moment.
Guests walked the not-red-but-gold carpet for their photograph by Canada’s premium studio, George Pimentel Photography. Our step-and-repeat featured a special circular cut-out motif inspired by garden gateways in Chinese architecture, which surrounded the spotlight on our top sponsors, Holt Renfrew, Valmont, Nobis, Fairmont Royal York, Hennessy, Veuve Cliquot, Air Canada, Porsche Centre Downtown Toronto, Water Sommelier, The Kit, and National Post.
And then in celebration of our 5th anniversary, guests travelled through time in the Magazine Forest with oversized topiary balls and Fiddlefigs that adorned the larger-than-life magazine covers dating back to 2015. Each cover design and highlights from each publication was meticulously plotted so that guests could reminisce some of our award winning stories and beautiful art and imagery.
TIME TRAVELLING through the magazine forest, INTO THE RABBIT HOLE of culture and magic.
A nod to our 2017 gala and tying together luxury and culture in an East meets West moment, Veuve Cliquot returned with a Fete Chinoise favourite: Veuve Cliquot Rich which is enjoyed with Earl Grey Tea.
“Dreams Take Flight” executed in floral design, by the incredible Todd Kjargaard of Jackie O Florals & Event Design.
The first part of the evening began with a Chinese poem. It was a delightful prologue to the breathtaking performance to follow: the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto (By Gang Chen & Zhanhao He), passionately delivered by renown master concert violinist Susanne Hou. She wore a tailored cheongsam that was created for her specifically for this performance, crafted by Connie and Tommy Sung, of Repulse Bay Tailors (a historic tailor shop in Old Hong Kong, with its 4th generation in Markham, Ontario, and the main subject of the documentary, The Last Stitch). Hou was accompanied by pianist Xie JiaYu. The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto is the first piece of Chinese music written for western instrument, and its melody inspired by the classical Chinese myth, the Butterly Lovers. Together, their music took the breath away of the audience with such a powerful performance in an intimate space, where the vibrations of sound enveloped the most beautiful room in all of Toronto to dine in.
Melissa Leong, Canadian author and finance expert on The Social television show, was the Master of Ceremonies, and opened with a personal story of her own family and the significance of Fete Chinoise and having a connection with her own cultural roots.
author and television personality, Melissa Leong, Master of ceremonies for fete chinoise 2020.
Renown Canadian Violinist, Susanne Yi-Jia Hou, serenading guests with her heart-touching music.
Renown Canadian Violinist, Susanne Yi-Jia Hou, performing before the dinner service, at Fete Chinoise 2020.
The Last Stitch film presented a nostalgic vignette of the documentary’s feature: Repulse Bay Tailors. Detailed with furniture and sewing tools from the original shop in Old Kong Kong at the Repulse Bay Hotel and the current small workshop in their suburban Toronto home.
Each course of the meal prepared by the Fairmont Royal York Hotel was paired with a beverage selection by Moet Hennessy. The menu was tailored and plated to the evening’s theme, and sat in the most imaginative table settings and decor — the hand-illustrated fantastical scenes from the Fete Chinoise Magazine cover were blown up and cut out, creating an artistic spread that was unique at every table. Beautiful florals by Jackie O Events meandered the scenic landscapes across the tables.
The tables were set for a fantastical evening, co-ordinated with the gold and green tones of the event’s branding design, with a nod to the Fete Chinoise 5th Anniversary Edition: Dreams Take Flight.
Founder and Creative Director, Deborah Lau-Yu, on stage to present opening remarks and sharing about the vision of Fete Chinoise as a Canadian platform for modern Chinese culture and building community.
“An event of this quality and meaning, integrating culture and design to inspire our generation is needed, to remind us that participating and expressing our identity connects us. When the pandemic is over, and we can gather in person, let us seize the moment once again, and come together to celebrate Chinese culture, our heritage, and each other. ”
After dinner, our special guest and award-winning actress, Selena Lee, took the stage with Editor-in-Chief, Deborah Lau-Yu for an intimate fireside chat. Freshly awarded and praised for her role in her blockbuster drama at the time, 金宵大廈, she shared about her very successful career in Hong Kong as a Canadian actress, and her future dreams that might take her back home to us here in Toronto and North America. And exactly a year later, Selena is indeed back in Toronto and currently filming for season 3 of Canadian television drama, Blood & Water.
Fireside chat with award-winning Canadian actress, Selena Lee, and Fete Chinoise Magazine Editor-in-Chief Deborah Lau-Yu
Deborah Lau-Yu with award-winning Canadian actress, Selena Lee, at the VIP dinner at Fete Chinoise Gala 2020.
wushu project delighted guests with a lion dance to kick off the rest of the evening, leading guests into the grand foyer and other areas of the evening’s discovery.
CXBO Chocolates presented a decadent peony display created from all of their bon bons.
After dinner, guests then migrated into the Grand Foyer where they enjoyed art and fashion exhibitions, the spectacular silent auction, and sampling of decadent Lunar New Year inspired chocolates and Dragon Beard Candy. DJ Michael Coombs set the atmosphere with his music. Featured Canadian fashion designers included: Christopher Paunil, Betty Lai and Gigi Wang.
Creations by Canadian Designer, Betty Lai.
creation by canadian designer, Christopher paunil.
Every year, by invitation, a selection of artists exhibit their work at Fete Chinoise gala, to showcase their interpretation of culture and the theme. Canadian artists, Master Sui Sheng Guan, Gina Godfrey, and Janna Watson had their paintings and artwork on display in the Art Gallery, positioned around the Pavilion art experience by budding artists Nicky Wang and Vivi Hou.
To the side of the Art Gallery, guests wandered into a magical red chamber inspired by a traditional tea ceremony, designed in collaboration with Rainbow Chan weddings and Palettera, featuring the artistic wedding photographs of Virginia Tse and Robert Ma. The auspiciously coloured room was great inspiration for weddings, Lunar New Year, and any intimate dinner party the heart desires.
Concert Hall, which was decadently designed as a garden of delight, with yellow Forsithya and whimsical cut out illustrations of florals and cultural moments. Little yellow butterflies danced across the room, fluttering along the branches, all dreamy in flight.
Taking a unique approach to the room design, the historical stage in the room became a an exclusive VIP lounge area. The main stage was built in the centre of the room, where Parliament Music Group’s new WeeKeeeeee B Band performed a blend of classic Chinese hits and chart toppers all evening. Special guest Selena Lee also took the stage for one song, 今宵多珍重, from her award-winning television drama 金宵大廈.
Guests enjoyed various activations, including a VIP Hennessy Bar, which was a popular place to enjoy a shot of XO and catch up with friends. Air Canada also had a meaningful Fortune Sticks activation, with a larger than life vessel from which guests would pick their numbered stick to receive a keepsake bookmark printed with the corresponding well wish for their dreams in life. Häagen-Dazs was on site with their delightful ice cream carts, serving refreshing cold bars which were personalized with guest names.
The food stations from Royal York Hotel were delicious, accompanied by great selections from the community — Xing Fu Tang (幸福堂) and their brown sugar tapioca bubble tea, Golden Bubbles and their award-winning milk tea and unique bubble waffle selections, and Lai Wah Heen’s bao and dim sum station.
An event of this quality and meaning, integrating culture and design to inspire our generation is needed, to remind us that participating and expressing our identity connects us. When the pandemic is over, and we can gather again, let us seize the moment once again, and come together to celebrate Chinese culture, our heritage, and each other.
Wishing you a healthy, safe, and happy Lunar New Year with your families.
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Official Event Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL6iyC5n91Y&t=28s
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A SPECIAL NOTE OF THANKS
Thank you to all sponsors, table hosts, guests, event team, creative collaborators, event professionals, and media partners. For a full list of credits, please see our official event page, and our newest magazine in print.
With special thanks to our event team leads, Christina Li and Melissa Haggerty, our lead volunteers, Lilian Mak, Kirsten Melville-Gray, Rhonda Lam, and Percy Chan, and all of our volunteers.
