Before formally shooting this Twin Beauties of Jiangdong series, the two of us devoted considerable time and effort purely to costume fittings and makeup trials. This time, we portrayed the Warring States Period Robe versions of Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao from Honor of Kings. The Warring States Period Robe design inherently possesses a solemn, heavy weightiness; to project an ethereal yet grand classical elegance before the camera, we adjusted the layering of the garments repeatedly. The Xiao Qiao look I was responsible for featured an orange-pink color palette, while Yuanxiao wore the violet-blue flowing gown.
First, let's talk about hair and makeup. To complement the overall wardrobe tones, I wore blue contact lenses with the orange ensemble to add a touch of fantasy, with reddish eyeshadow flicked slightly outward at the outer corners to elongate the eyes, paired with two thick braided plaits adorned with amber-gold hair ornaments. Yuanxiao's purple set featured long straight black hair with blunt bangs, adorned with numerous purple floral sprigs and butterflies, matched with purplish-pink contact lenses. Positioned together, our styling generated a vibrant chromatic contrast that harmonized seamlessly with the theme of twin lotuses blooming side by side.
The shooting location was an authentic, picturesque classical garden with blue-brick walls, timber verandas, rockeries, and lotus ponds. This environment gave us abundant creative leeway. Our first set of shots was framed around stone stairs: Yuanxiao stood on an elevated step while I held an umbrella below, forming a stepped sense of staggered height. Because the sleeves of a Warring States Period Robe are extraordinarily expansive, ascending and descending stairs required extreme caution to avoid stepping on the hems; we constantly repositioned our footing to ensure the draped cascade of the fabric showed gracefully.
When we walked toward the wooden gate, sunlight filtered through the door crack, turning the doorframe into a natural canvas frame beneath cascading Chinese trumpet creeper vines—breathtakingly lovely. Standing behind the doors and exchanging glances, the tender, intimate bond between sisters flowed organically. Inside, I held a circular fan or hoisted a bamboo-leaf paper umbrella, creating a visual counterpoint to Yuanxiao's wisteria umbrella.
Later, moving toward the covered gallery, we sat side by side on the wooden railings for portraits. Beyond the gallery stretched a pond filled with water lilies and koi, backed by eaves of dark-grey tiles. Truthfully, holding an oiled paper umbrella or posing with a folding fan for prolonged periods left our arms genuinely aching, but seeing the frames inside the viewfinder made every second worthwhile. To showcase the flow of the billowing wide sleeves, we paced through the corridor bridge multiple times to capture the most organic candid moments. The evening sunlight kissed the brick walls, casting dappled light and shadow across our skirts, harmonizing the serenity of classical architecture with our slightly fantastical Chinese-style cosplay ensembles to perfection.
Shooting this entire series was a considerable physical workout, especially hitching up the voluminous skirts while climbing up and down steps. Yet being able to embody these two beloved characters in such a distinctive manner and explore alternate possibilities with everyone brings immense inner satisfaction. From the embroidered textures of the robes to the placement of every prop, each subtle detail was polished with dedication.