Chow Tai Fook unveils Chinese couture high-jewelry collection in Shanghai

Chow Tai Fook turned Chinese dressmaking into a high-jewelry language in Shanghai, translating silk thread, cords, ribbons, button knots and cloud collars into pieces meant to read like modern heirlooms. For a milestone gift, that matters: the collection does not rely on generic sparkle, but on symbols with cultural weight.

The Chinese Couture High Jewellery exhibition opened along the Huangpu River on July 1, 2026, and expanded Chow Tai Fook’s second high-jewelry collection into five sub-themes: Jade Ombre, Cord, Ribbon, Button Knot and Yun. Ribbon is the most legible of the group, built from 22K gold with a satin-like texture, Eastern filigree, diamonds and pearls. Yun pulls from the cloud collar, Button Knot turns the fastening detail into a sign of connection and restraint, and Cord riffs on the look of a twisted strand. Jade Ombre nods to fei cui and its place in Chinese civilization.

Nicholas Lieou, Chow Tai Fook’s Creative Director of High Jewellery, led the collection. The house has framed his Hong Kong roots and education in the UK and US as part of the collection’s cross-cultural point of view, and that shows in the way the pieces move between historical reference and contemporary polish without feeling costume-y. The exhibition sat alongside archival gold masterpieces and rare gemstones, which gave the new work a sharper context: this was not a trend drop, but a serious exercise in lineage.

The launch had the kind of guest list that signals where Chow Tai Fook wants this line to sit. Sonia Cheng and Kent Wong were there, along with global brand ambassador Yang Yang, and guests George Lam and Sally Yeh. The runway presentation also featured emerging Chinese designer Chen Yayi and her label YAYI, a smart pairing that tied the high-jewelry story to a younger fashion language without diluting the craftsmanship.

The timing also matters. Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, founded in 1929, had 6,274 Chow Tai Fook Jewellery points of sale in Mainland China as of March 31, 2025, giving the brand enormous scale behind a comparatively niche luxury push. That reach helps explain why Chinese Couture feels pointed rather than experimental: Chow Tai Fook is using its platform to make heritage dress codes feel relevant again, and for the right recipient, that is what makes these pieces worth giving.