Wong In Midst Of Comeback, Tipped To Grace Cover Of September Issue Of Mainland China Elle
Faye Wong for Celine (Image: Elle)
She may not be a household name in much of the world, but throughout most of East and Southeast Asia the Chinese singer (and occasional actress) Faye Wong (王菲) is entertainment royalty. Before taking an extended hiatus in 2005, Wong had become one of the most commercially successful Canto- and Mandopop singers over the course of the 1990s and early 2000s, developing notoriety for her “icy” public persona and highly original on-stage wardrobes, which predated Lady Gaga by well over a decade.
For the past five years, Wong has focused primarily on raising a family, taking part in events for her charity, the Smile Angel Foundation (which assists children born with cleft palates) and occasionally performing. Earlier this year, Wong sang the theme for the big-budget — but unpopular — Chow Yun-Fat biopic Confucius and appeared on the CCTV New Year’s Gala.
Soon afterward, Wong announced a comeback tour slated to hit Beijing in October and Shanghai in November. Since announcing her planned comeback in April, the Chinese media has been abuzz with rumors that Wong will soon appear on the cover of the September issue of mainland Elle for the first time. (She has graced the covers of Elle‘s Hong Kong and Taiwan editions numerous times over the years.)
Faye Wong for Celine (Image: Elle)
With the news that Faye Wong has been chosen as the new face of Céline’s upcoming print advertisements, it appears Wong’s comeback is well on track. According to Elle (HK), Wong recenly jetted off to Paris to shoot the ads, which will run for Céline’s Autumn-Winter 2010 and Spring 2011 collections.
This matchup, as the Elle article points out, is notable for two reasons: not only is it the first artist cooperation for Céline with Phoebe Philo at the helm as creative director, it’s also Faye Wong’s first luxury brand partnership since ending her hiatus. As Sohu adds, Wong’s Parisian modeling gig was shot by fashion photographer Horst Diekgerdes, with the help of Wong’s stylist Titi Kwan and makeup artist “Zing.”
We’ll be sure to keep an eye on the progress of Wong’s comeback, which should officially “launch” in the next month or two.
Promotional teaser for Wong's upcoming tour (Image: QQ)